The Devil's Saplings (Sequel to: The Devil's Pine Tree Series)
by DireWolfEmily
Summary: Comet and Star Pines are in for an unexpected adventure when they are sent to live with their estrange Aunt Mabel in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls. However, it doesn't take long for them to discover that this small town is anything but what it seems. Determine to unlock the truth of this town Comet goes to investigate unaware of the horrors that he is about to unleash.
1. Troublemaker

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I do not own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Note's:** Okay so I know this is late, but my family made writing during the holiday's very, very HARD! Anyway, here it is now hope you enjoy.

 **Warning:** This is a sequel to _The Devil's Pine Tree Series!_ So please read it first.

* * *

 **(12 years after the events of Weirdmageddon...)**

Trouble...

Everyone swore it was his middle name!

Comet Pines narrowed his deep chocolate brown eyes as he focused on the track before him. Okay so it wasn't a real track, nope it was a strip of road about a mile long; and the fact that this random patch of concrete was out in the middle of nowhere, and not attached to any other roads made it the perfect spot for street racing.

That's right Comet was a street racer, but it wasn't the thrill of the track that gave his mind that buzz that it was feeling right now. No, what gave Comet the rush wasn't the race at all but getting away with something he knew was illegal. Yes, doing something wrong and not paying for it; getting away with it by the seams of his pants was his drug, and he tempted fate almost every day just for a chance to feel that rush!

His sister said he was an addict who needed to address his ever-growing problem.

His sister, Star Pines; they were twins! However, the two twelve-year olds couldn't be more different from each other.

Comet was the oldest, however he never acted that way, instead he goofed off leaving Star to fill his shoes. He had a brilliant mind but choose to slack off; he didn't really see the point in trying to fit in or impress anyone! He was a loner who only hung out with others in order to cause the most chaos as possible. His so-called friends weren't really his friends, they were jerks who hung out with him because his foster father had a lot of dough.

And then there was Star, who was everything Comet wasn't, which everyone said was a good thing. Even Comet thought so! Star was like a magnet of positive energy, and she made new friends every day! Sure, she wasn't as smart as her brother, but at least her grades actually reflected her intuition! As an A B Honor Roll student, Star was seen as the school's Teacher's pet, which didn't make her fit in well with the misfits, and popular kids. However, unlike Comet, Star actually cared what people thought about her, and would go to great lengths just to be liked by everyone! However, this was her only flaw for Star was generous, kind, and would always help anyone in need. She loved all creatures and believed in the power of true love!

Yes, the two couldn't be more different, they were like Yin, and Yang, Or Bonny and Clyde! Two opposite sides of one coin! And yet when they were together the two were like two pieces to the same puzzle, they fit together perfectly every time. And when they were together Comet was a different person, a better version of himself; yes, his sister brought the best out of him.

Too bad she wasn't here to talk him out of this one!

Comet shook his head and straightened up his hat before starting up his engine. The hat was red with a comet shooting across the front as the logo. Suddenly a teenage girl in tight jeans walks over and stands in front of the cars. There were three of them racing today, Comet, Austin, and Alan! Austin and Alan had been a bad influence on Comet for as long as he could remember. The funny thing was they all hated each other's guts, and yet somehow the three of them just clicked; and in the worse ways possible too!

The Cars cracked their engines, and with a wave of the girl's arms they were off!

Comet slammed down on the gas and went full throttle down the bumpy road; this was it! He had made a bet with the boys earlier that day, if he won the two would be forced to humiliate themselves by wearing their sisters' bathing suits for a whole hour in front of the busiest part of town.

In the middle of the skate park!

Comet suppressed a shiver; no way was he becoming the laughingstock of his junior high! No, he was going to win this damn it!

It was a no brainer, as far as races were concerned; he zoomed out to the end of the road, turned around, and zoom back.

Easy...Right?

Wrong!

Unfortunately for Comet, one of his so-called friends didn't like the idea of losing either!

Alan Jenkins was the son of the sheriff of their small town (Defuniak Springs Florida), and had stolen some spike strips, or tire shredders from the station, and had set them out on Comet's side of the road. Unfortunately, he had saw them far too late to stop, and with a loud pop the tires to his foster father's red sports car were out; causing Comet to swerve off the road. However due to his intense speed the car flipped several times in the dust.

Comet moaned, his head was pounding, his ears were ringing, and the only thing he could think about before blacking out was that he was so dead!

And if this current situation hadn't caused his certain death, then his foster father would finish the job for sure!

' _I am so dead.'_ He thought, and just like that he was out cold...

* * *

 **(Some Time Later...)**

She swore he had some kind of secret death wish!

Star paced back and forth in the waiting room of the Sheriff's office, miraculously her brother only received minor cuts and bruises. Unfortunately, that meant he was sent straight to the police station in cuffs instead of the hospital!

This was a nightmare!

Sheriff Jenkins had warned Comet that if he got in trouble again, he could be sent to juvey, or worse!

She could hear the yelling coming in from the closed door of the Sheriff's office, no doubt Tom was furious!

Tom Westcott was their Step Foster father, actually he never really signed the papers. The details were scratchy to the twins since no one ever really talked about it, but a few days after they were born the twins were put up for adoption and sent to foster care. The family who had adopted them were kind and loving. However, the young man they had soon come to call their father grew ill and was diagnosed with some kind of cancer. His wife, their adoptive mother, Ann was devastated and soon felt she was too depressed making her unsuited for the job as a single parent. But she didn't want to give up on the kids that she had loved before she even knew their names, kids she had raised with her husband for six years already.

So, she did the only thing she thought she could do for them, she married again; this time a wealthy man who had, had his eye on her for years; A.K.A Tom Westcott! Tom had come from a long line of billionaires and owned most of the economy in their small town. He had tolerated the kids for six years now because he truly loved Ann. However, Tom was not without his flaws, he had a temper, and though he was never physically abusive he was emotionally.

"I am sick of this brat ruining my reputation and wrecking my fortune!" Tom's voice seemed to reach every corner of the police station. "This time I am pressing charges!"

"Tom he's your son!" Ann screamed.

"That little monster is no son of mine, and I want him out!" Tom screamed.

Out!

Like common trash, he no longer wanted anything else to do with him.

Tears threatened to spill from Star's eyes, she knew Comet must be scared in there sitting in between all those screaming people. Heck he may even be crying too, that's just how Comet was, sure he got in trouble, but Star knew he only did it for some attention. He wanted to feel like he was really here, like he was alive.

"For the last time Tom, I cannot process him until the woman from the child agency gets here." Sheriff Jenkins yelled over them.

"Why so she can bail him out...AGAIN!" Tom screamed.

"He's twelve years old Tom!" Ann screamed.

Star froze as Mrs. Franny walked into the station.

Mrs. Franny had always been a constant in their lives, from what Comet had learned from ease dropping during one of her several visits to their home. Mrs. Franny was an IRS agent assigned to check in on the twins to make sure they were being treated well in their adopted family. Which made sense to Star, since her adaptive parents were getting a check form the state for child support.

"Hi Mrs. Franny." Star mumbled.

"Hey sweetie." Mrs. Franny forced a smile.

"I don't know how you're going to get him out of this one." Star cried openly now. "Tom is threatening to press charges."

"Actually, Star I'm not here for Comet." Mrs. Franny told her. "I'm here for both of you."

Star's heart dropped. She knew what those words meant; Mrs. Franny was here to take them away. More tears spilled down her face, "I don't want to go into the system!" She cried. "No one adopts teens!"

"Star sweetie you know I would never put you in the system." Mrs. Franny said hugging her close.

"Then where will we go?" Star cried.

"Well there is someone I know about." Mrs. Franny assured her. "Come on in the sheriff's office with me and I'll tell you all about her."

Her! They had heard whispers about her, Tom often argued with Ann late in the night saying she didn't have to put up with the brats. That their mother's family was more than capable to take them back.

Star clutched Mrs. Franny hand tight as she led her into the office.

"Mrs. Franny, I know you are very busy." The sheriff began. "But thank you for coming down."

"I hope your planning to put this kid behind bars where he belongs." Tom snapped.

"No, Tom I will be taking them, but it won't be behind bars." Mrs. Franny snapped right back.

"What!" Ann was stunned. "You can't take them!"

Star raced over to her brother who were a stunned look on his face, Mrs. Franny was taking them away, and it was all his fault; or so he thought.

"Now Ann please don't make this difficult, you signed the papers and the writing was very clear." Mrs. Franny explained. "The twins' mother passed away during birth, and their only remaining relative was a thirteen-year-old Aunt."

The twins were equally stunned now, they had an Aunt!

"However now that she is old enough with a supporting livelihood the care of the twins resides with her."

"But she's only twenty-five." Ann complained. "That's hardly old enough to support two preteens."

"Ann please, Mabel has already been through enough, first the fire, then the complications with the twins and her sister. Star and Comet are all she has left, and she worked her hardest since they left to build a stable life for them." Mrs. Franny pleaded.

"And what if we don't want to go with her?" Comet suddenly snapped.

"Oh, you're going." Tom insisted. "Or you'll be sleeping behind bars tonight kid!"

"Tom!" Ann screamed.

"No, Ann he's right." Mrs. Franny said with a sigh.

"What?" Ann was stunned. "You can't."

"It's not my decision believe me I fought for his and your sake, but the state is tiered of bailing him out, and some members of the board think juvey will do him some good. Luckily, I got them to agree that if Comet left the state, they would drop the charges."

"Well in that case Aunt Mabel sounds great!" Comet piped up. "When can we meet her?"

"So, they have to go?" Ann cried.

"Yes, for Comet's own good, and even if it wasn't you signed the papers, and they stated that this was a temporary adoption."

Ann nodded reluctantly. "Ok, but only because it's what's best for the twins." She whispered.

"Finally!" Tom exclaimed. "Now when do they leave?"

Mrs. Franny simply ignored him, and pulled out a folder, she opens it in front of the twins, and the first thing they see is a young brunette girl with braces, wearing a pink sweater with a shooting star. "Comet, Star this is your Aunt Mabel when she was your age." She said with tears in her eyes.

Star took the picture in her trembling hands. "She looks like me." She gasped.

"And she is very much like you." Mrs. Franny told her. "She has a magnetic personality, she's creative, kind, thoughtful, and a hard worker." Mrs. Franny pulls out another picture from the folder. "This is what she looks like now."

Comet took the picture, it was defiantly the same girl, but she was older, and had lost the braces. She smiled openly in the picture her eyes showing great joy and love.

"What about our mom do you have a picture of her?" Star asked.

Mrs. Franny nodded and pulled out another picture. "This is Megan, your mother."

Star took the picture in her hands, it's a picture of a young woman in her late teens, she has long brown hair, and chocolate brown eyes.

"She was eighteen in this picture and was nine months pregnant with you both at the time." Mrs. Franny explained.

"Are there other's?" Star asked. "Of when she was younger like Aunt Mabel?"

"No..." Mrs. Franny said through tears.

"What happened?" Comet asked.

"There was a fire, your grandparents, your great uncles, and Mabel's twin brother Mason…they all perished. No family photos were saved from the flames, your mother was a few weeks pregnant at the time. She never fully recovered from the trauma though, and as a result she didn't survive-" Mrs. Franny could find the will to finish.

She didn't need to. Their mother had died giving birth to them. They knew that much.

"Please don't think little of her." Mrs. Franny begged. "You mother did everything she could to make sure you would be healthy enough to survive; she loved you very much."

"And what about their father?" Ann asked. "Did you ever find him?"

Mrs. Franny shook her head. "No, there was no name given on their birth certificates, and Mabel says she only met the man once."

"He didn't want us, did he?" Comet snapped.

"No, According to Mabel he skipped town the moment he found out." Mrs. Franny whispered.

"Well who needs him?!" Comet snapped. "We have Aunt Mabel."

"And you still have me." Ann assured them.

"You're joking right?" Tom snapped.

"Tom I've had it with you." Ann screamed. "I married you so the kids could have a stable life, but now they have her, so we're done!"

Tom was stunned. "You're lying, besides that girl probably doesn't want you around anymore."

"On the contrary Mabel is very thankful of all that you have done for the twins, she says you can visit them any time, and once their settled they can visit you here in Florida." Mrs. Franny assured her.

Anna is overjoyed and hugs the twins close. "Then it's settled; I'll pack our things at once."'

"Our? You're not leaving me!" Tom yelled.

"Yes, I am!" Ann declared. "I'm moving back home, my parents left me their house, and their land. And tonight, I'm taking all that's mine and the Twins things over there and you can't stop me."

"Yes, I can!" Tom screamed.

"No, you can't." Sheriff Jenkins suddenly spoke up, standing in front of Ann protectively. "You may own most of the money in this town Tom, but Ann is not an object, she is a person; and if she wants to leave, she can."

"Fine but you won't see a penny!" Tom declared.

"Your married and have been for more than five years; the court will see that she gets at least half of everything." Sheriff Jenkins pointed out the obvious.

Tom screamed and stormed out of the office, and out of their lives forever.

Comet couldn't say he'd miss the old dirt bag either, in fact he couldn't help the smile that fell on his face; perhaps being bad could have positive outcomes.

"Well here are there bus tickets." Mrs. Franny handed her the Tickets.

"Is that really all there is?" Star asked.

Mrs. Franny bit her lip. "I'm afraid that's all I know, but think of it this way, now you have more to ask your Aunt about tomorrow."

"They're leaving that soon?" Ann asked.

"I know it's sudden, so I understand if you only pack the essentials for now." Mrs. Franny informed her.

"Okay well I guess we should go home and start packing." Ann took both the twins by their hands and led them out.

"Poor kids I hope they'll be happy with her." Sheriff Jenkins said.

"I promise I wouldn't allow it if I didn't think so." Mrs. Franny promised him.

"I know." The sheriff told her.

And with that Mrs. Franny gathered her things and walked out of the office her phone in hand. She dialed a number.

There was three rings and then...

"Hello?"

"Hi Mabel, this is Franny." Mrs. Franny whispered.

"Did it work?" Mabel asked on the other end.

"They'll be on the bus to Gravity Falls tomorrow morning." Mrs. Franny assured her.

"Good any glitches?" Mabel asked.

"No everything is fine, though Ann made it clear she would not be deleted out of their lives forever."

"I know, and I want to let her in, but it's not safe here." Mabel's voice whispered.

"It's never safe there." Mrs. Franny pointed out. "Which is why I'm surprise you want them there at all. I mean you know their parents aren't gone forever! If "you know who" ever finds out-"

"And that's why they need to be here!" Mabel's voice snapped. "So, when he does find out I can protect them. Ann is great, but she knows nothing of demons, or the supernatural world!"

"You really think he'll find out?" Mrs. Franny asked fearfully.

"Trust me I know their father and as much as I love my brother; thinking Bill will never catch on is a pipe dream!" Mabel snapped.

"You're probably right." Mrs. Franny sighed. "Just promise me you know what you're doing."

"I promise I will never let anything happen to them." Mabel vowed. "Trust me I can handle that psycho Dorito."

Mrs. Franny wanted to believe her, but she couldn't help but fear for the worse.

And unfortunately for them all, that's exactly what was coming...

The worse thing imaginable!

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes:**

Thanks for reading and please leave a comment. (If you want!)

Until then this is Emily signing off :)


	2. Moving Out

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I Do Not own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Hey guys I know it's been a while, but I just have so many stories on my plate right now! However, I promise to do better at posting regularly. With that out of the way, thanks for reading, and please enjoy!

* * *

 **(Back with Comet…)**

He couldn't believe it…

But it was true, they were actually leaving this place.

Comet sighed and looked around his large bedroom, Full of books, board games, video games, and a whole bunch of other junk he rarely used. "I wonder if Aunt Mabel is rich?" he asked out loud.

"Probably not." Star said poking her head in the room. "But I'm sure her place is nice, otherwise Mrs. Franny wouldn't let us go."

"Yeah but I'm going to miss getting whatever I want." Comet admitted, pulling his suitcase from under his bed.

"I'm sure Aunt Mabel will spoil us just as much." Star assured him. "After all she does have twelve long years of Birthdays to catch up with.

"Yeah…" Comet whispered.

Star let herself into the room, carrying her bags along with her. Yes, she had BAGS as in plural, 3 of them to be exact, one full of sweaters, one full of a third of her stuff animal collection, and the other for the rest of her clothes.

Comet gave her a look.

"What this is all very essential!" Star said.

Comet laughed, but it soon died down in his throat.

"What's wrong bro?" Star asked, sitting in front of him, on his bed.

"It's just…" Comet bit his lip. "What if Aunt Mabel finds out she doesn't like us? What If we can't fit in at school! What if the place is really boring and-"

"Whoa, Whoa slow down bro!" Star said stopping him. "She's going to love us I just know it; besides, we're bound to make at least one friend."

"I…I just don't want us to get our hopes up, I mean all our lives we've wondered about mom, and why she gave us up, and now it looks like we're finally going to get all the answers." Comet said. "But what if they aren't what we want to hear."

"Look I'm scared too." Star admitted. "But you'll see it will be fun, just think of it all as a new grand adventure unfolding before us!"

Comet smiled, his sister always saw the positive in everything, even when it was moving to the unknown!

"Now let's get you packed Mr.!" Star exclaimed. "We got a bus to catch first thing in the morning, and it's a 20-minute drive to mom's parents' house downtown."

Mom, for 12 years Ann was known as Mom, but now it would appear she would no longer be filling those shoes; Comet sighed.

"She's still our mom." Star said.

"And I always will be." Ann said stepping into the room. "I promise I will write every day, and I'll call you every week!"

Comet smiled. "And we'll come see you for the holiday's and summer!"

"Of course!" Ann said pulling them both into a hug. "I love you two so much!"

"We love you too." Star said through tears.

"Always." Comet promised.

"Anyway, we should hurry up, Tom could be home any minute." Ann said pulling away.

The twins nodded their agreement, Tom hated not getting what he wanted, and if he showed up, he might not ever let Ann leave. So, without another word Star began to help her brother pack all the essentials he would need to last a few days.

"I'll have some movers pack up the rest of our things later on this week." Ann told them.

The twins nodded, wiping the tears from their eyes, as Ann left to go back downstairs.

The twins sighed after her, both wishing the hug had lasted longer.

Suddenly a chatter comes from the window behind them; they turn and smile.

There on their outside windowpane were two squirrels.

"Their back!" Star exclaimed, running to the window.

Comet smiled, ever since he could remember these two squirrels had been following them around everywhere. Seriously everywhere! They'd spot them on the school playground, or out the classroom window. At lunch, the twins would sit in the school courtyard and share their food with them.

And while others would just say it was all similar looking squirrels in these separate areas then the same two; the twins knew better. For these two squirrels had a very distinct characteristic, one that made them stand out from other squirrels.

Their eyes were vibrantly colored, instead of being black or brown!

The two squirrels were both female, one had dark purple eyes, and had been affectionately named Yuko by his sister.

The other had red eyes that reminded Comet of a blazing fire, which is probably why he named her Magenta!

"I'm really going to miss you guys." Star said as she opened the window, allowing the squirrels to jump into the room to join them.

The squirrels hopped in and began to chase each other around.

Star laughed, and picked Yuko up, giving her a kiss on the top of her head.

Comet felt a lump in his throat, strangely he'd miss them too. These two squirrels had become companions to them: like a pet dog, or cat. A comforting presents to hang on to, something they had come to depend on.

Star held Yuko in her arms and petted her, smiling softly.

Comet gave Magenta a pat as well. It wasn't fair, he thought being adopted would spare them from the several goodbyes foster care kids had to go through. However, it would appear that was not the case. He turned away quickly and started packing once more.

"Hey maybe we can stuff them in our bags and stow them away with us!" Star said hopefully.

"Best not." Comet advised. "Remember what happened when we use to let them live in our rooms?"

"Yeah but Mom didn't mind, it was Tom that got angry." Star pointed out. "We'll leave them at mom's place that way we can see them when we come back."

Comet bit his lip it was tempting but he shook his head. "Best not." He repeated. "Besides these guys seem to have a way of finding us on their own." That much was true. They never brought these squirrels anywhere; they would just appear. Like they had some kind of homing signal on them.

"Yeah ok." Star agreed reluctantly and allowed the squirrels to jump back out the window before closing it.

"Well that's all I can fit." Comet said zipping up the nearly overstuffed suitcase.

"Alright we're all packed!" Star exclaimed, trying to lighten up the mood as they grabbed their bags and started down the long staircase.

"We're ready!" Star exclaimed once Ann came into view.

Ann forced a smile, "Well let's go; I'll order us some dinner when we get home."

Home…

Comet frowned at the word; it wouldn't be home anymore.

No Of course, it would!

After all a lot of people have two homes!

He smiles. "Race you to the car Star!" he exclaims grabbing his suitcase and bolts out the door.

Star is hot on his heels, laughing all the way.

Ann can't help but smile too, oh how she loved her twins. _'Mom and Dad's place is going to be pretty lonely without them.'_ She admitted. _'Well think of it this way Ann, you can finally get that dog you always wanted.'_

Her words did little to numb the pain, but she put on a happy face, for her angels.

"Alright kids let's go!" Ann said as she followed them out the door.

"I can't believe we're never coming back to this place." Comet said as he took one last look at the mansion that had been his home for six years.

"You won't if I have a say in it." Ann said as they all loaded up into the car. "And I do!"

"Goodbye old house!" Star exclaimed.

Comet found a smile slipping on his face. "And goodbye Tom." He whispered.

The ride over to Ann's parents' was uneventful and flew by in what felt like no time at all.

"We're here!" Ann exclaimed as they pulled into the driveway.

It was a decent size white cottage, with a stone walkway and a porch swing, and it was all sitting on a rather large size of land.

Star gasped. "I remember this place!"

Comet did too, before Ann's parent's passed away, they had visited them every summer. Comet loved the days they spent horseback riding and picking fruit from the many trees. "They left you everything!" he exclaimed.

"Yep I was going to rent it out, but now that you're leaving, so am I!" Ann said confidently. "Now go inside and get ready, while I order some Pizza!"

Star, and Comet ran inside at the sound of the magic word.

PIZZA!

Ann smiled, _'Kids and their pizza.'_ She laughed.

"This is my room when we're staying over here!" Star exclaimed claiming Ann's old room.

"Well than I call the guest room!" Comet declared, heading that way. He enters the clean, and well-kept room, and dumps his suitcase onto the bed. He opens it and gets dressed into his PJ's.

Star does the same in her own room, before unpacking her stuff animals; so, she can sleep with them.

Once they are ready, the two twins exit their rooms, and go to watch some mindless TV while they wait for dinner to arrive.

"Guys how about meat lovers?" Ann asked over the loud TV.

"Sounds good mom." Star exclaimed.

"Can we get bread sticks too?" Comet asked.

"Sure, I'll throw in some soda as well!" Ann said as she pulled out her computer and began to order the food online.

Star smiled; mom was cool in feeding them whatever they wanted. "I wonder if Aunt Mabel will let us choose dinner."

"Maybe." Comet said. "We can tell her it's a family tradition."

"It kind of is." Star agreed.

"See so we won't be lying." Comet pointed out.

Star laughs, her brother always had a way of selling the truth!

It took about 25 minutes for the pizza to come, and by that time the twins were eyeballs deep into a rerun of their favorite cartoon: Steven Universe.

"Kids Pizza!" Ann declared.

The twins rushed to the table, and began to dig in.

"So, mom what's Aunt Mabel like." Star asked, mouth full of food.

"Yeah have you ever met her?" Comet asked.

"Why yes before I married Tom, I would set up meetings with Mabel, or she would come here for family reunions, and I'd bring you two along so she could hold you." Ann explained. "Her eyes would always light up when she saw you two."

"Really?" Star asked.

"Oh yes, we would sit and talk for hours, I'd give her pictures, and copies of home videos that me and your father made together." Ann started tearing up. "Comet you started walking for the first time on this very kitchen floor." She said. "Your Aunt Mabel was sitting over their by the fridge."

She pointed to the white refrigerator. "And I was helping you stand up over here by the table, and suddenly off you went right into her arms. She just started crying…you made her so happy that day."

Comet smiled.

"I remember she'd bring gifts every time she came over, Star a good bit of your stuff animal collection came from her." Ann went on.

"Wow." Star exclaimed. "Which ones?"

"Well there's that brown stuff bear with that quote on it, she gave you that the day you left Gravity Falls with Mrs. Franny. And then there's the purple hippo, and the starfish with a top hat. -"

"No way, she gave me Mr. Starfish!" Star exclaimed.

"Yep." Ann said. "And Mabel was the one that made your hat." She said to Comet.

Comet pulled the hat off his head. "She made this for me?" he asked.

Ann nodded. "She made it special out of one of your mother's old shirts so she would always be with you." Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he looked at the hat as if for the first time.

He never knew…

"So why did she stop coming over?" Star suddenly asked.

"Well when your father…my husband died…well things got harder for us, I had to remarry, and I chose Tom, and he told Mabel that if she ever came over that she'd be taking you with her. That if she could raise enough money to come see you so often that she had enough money to raise you herself." Ann explained.

"That's awful." Star said.

"It was never the money." Ann said. "She was just too young to support you, the system would never put you in the care of a 15-year-old, or even a 21-year-old for that matter."

"We know." Comet said, placing his hat back on his head. "Tom's just a big jerk."

"Yes, he is, and we'll never have to deal with him again." Ann assured them. "Now eat up, and go brush your teeth, you have an early morning tomorrow."

The twins nodded, and several pizza slices later their out of the kitchen, and into the bathroom.

"I still can't believe we're leaving." Star said as she squeezed some toothpaste on her toothbrush.

"Yeah, I'm going to miss mom." Comet admitted, as he readied his own toothbrush.

"Me too." Star agreed.

Silence!

It never lasted long between the twins.

"Comet?" Star asked.

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you won't get into any trouble anymore." Star said.

"Star I…" Comet began, but Star stopped him.

"No, I'm serious it has to stop, this is a brand-new town where no one knows us." Star said. "If we didn't have Aunt Mabel and Gravity Falls that last stunt would have got you in Juvey or worse…you could have died bro." Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "Just promise me you'll be the real you while we're there. The you that I know."

Comet smiled. "I promise." He vowed.

Star smiled, and the two continued brushing their teeth.

Minutes later they say their good nights, and their off to bed.

Comet settles down in his bed, thinking of what new adventure tomorrow will bring. "Well I hope it's not too boring." He admitted out loud to himself. "Otherwise it's going to be really hard for me to keep my promise."

And with those words, he rolled over and fell asleep, not knowing just how hard keeping his promise to his sister would really be.

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes**

Thanks for reading as always, I ask you to leave a comment.

The next chapter will be up soon.

End Notes

Until then this is...

 **Emily signing off :)**


	3. Anxiety With A Hint Of Mystery

**Chapter Notes:**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Chapter 3 here we go! I'll be honest I cried while writing this chapter. It's so sad, But exciting at the same time. Please enjoy! Thank you all so much for the reviews. I really hope this follow up lives to all of your expectations!

* * *

 **(Back with Star...)**

This was it…

The moment they would leave the sleepy old town of Defuniak Springs, for who knew how long.

Star fought back tears. They were about to go into the unknown with no one but each other.

Comet took Star's hand in his as the bus pulled up in front of them.

Ann stood off from the side, having just let them go from a very long hug.

The bus doors open.

"All aboard for Gravity Falls!" The driver said.

"Well this is it." Comet said. "You ready?" he asked Star.

"Nope, you?" She asked.

Comet squeezed her hand tighter. "Not even close." He admitted.

Star laughed and allowed her brother to lead her onto the bus.

"Goodbye kids!" Ann called out as the bus began to move.

The twins waved at her out their bus window. "Bye!" they exclaimed.

"Be safe." She whispered and watched until the bus disappeared from her sight taking her precious cargo with it. "I love you." She breathed.

"We love you too." Star whispered, as she and her brother sat down.

"Boy you two are in for a treat." The bus driver said.

"Really how so Mr." Star asked.

"Oh, come on don't tell me you haven't heard the stories of Gravity Falls." The Driver said.

"Stories?" Comet asked.

"Yeah that town is like the capital of all things supernatural." The Bus driver said. "My cousin said he saw a Griffin there, and actual Griffin flying overhead!"

"No way!" Star exclaimed.

"Oh, come on there's no way!" Comet said.

"Believe me kid, Gnomes, spider people, you name it!" The bus diver went on. "Gravity Falls has it all! Vampire bats, Lycian, Wizards, Witches, even Zombies!"

"Okay now I know you're pulling my leg." Comet said, rolling his eyes.

"Fine don't believe me, but you'll learn soon enough." The Driver said. "Especially if you go into the woods."

"What's in the woods?" Star asked.

"Well that's where most of the creatures live." The driver explained. "Best to stay clear from there."

Star bit her lip, fear showing in her eyes.

"Don't listen to him Star." Comet told her. "He's just a jerk that likes to scare little kids."

Star nodded, reassured by her brother's words.

The bus driver shook his head, _'Poor kids, they have no idea what they're getting into!'_

* * *

 **(With Mabel hours later...)**

She was so nervous she felt as if she would throw up…

Mabel Pines paced the gift shop of the still standing Mystery Shack in utter worry. She knew that bringing the kids back here was a risk; it was also against her brother's wishes. However, unlike her brother, Mabel feared that one day Bill would return, and would discover the truth. She rather have them close if that happened.

' _No when that happens.'_ She corrected herself. Yes, she knew Bill Cipher, and she knew that one day someone would summon him again. Sure, the journals were gone, but there was still that cave Ford had spoken of finding. He had used the cave's drawings to summon Bill in the first place. She had looked for this cave for years along with Ivan, his boys, Tim, Candy, Grenda and Wendy; even clean freak Pacifica searched the mud filled woods high, and low for this cave.

It was never found.

So somewhere out there in the woods in some hidden cave was one final way to summon Bill, and if anyone stumbled upon it and said the incantations out of curiosity; the Demonic God of Chaos would return.

And then Mabel would have to do the unthinkable…

She'd have to tell the twins the truth, something Dipper forced her to promise she'd never do! Of course, she could summon Dipper to handle Bill, and she would if the threat would ever occurred, however the damage would already be done.

The twins would know the truth, they would be exposed to a life of darkness that Dipper sacrificed his freedom to shield them from. Bill would never stop trying to get to them, never stop trying to mold them into his liking. They would spend forever running, forever doubting the words of the ones they had called family for so long.

And worse still, they might even give in, for the hope of finally knowing the truth of why their parents left them all alone!

No! She could not allow this to happen!

She promised Dipper they would be safe, and she meant it!

"Mable, please stop pacing you're making me dizzy." Pacifica groaned from the shop's cash register.

Mabel turned and tried a smile, but it felt too forced, too fake.

Pacifica sighed walking around the front counter and taking Mabel's hands in hers "Look I know you're scared for them, but we all discussed it, and everyone agrees. They will be safer here surrounded by people who know Bill and can handle him."

"I know." Mabel said, holding her hands tight. "I just can't help but fear the worse, even though I haven't seen them in six years I know them." She said. "They are just like Dipper and I were at their age. They'll find the supernatural no matter how hard the town try's to steer them away from it."

"Look we have the whole town behind us." Pacifica assured her. "We can do this; we've got your back Mabes."

Mabel found a real smile slipping to her face at the nickname. Pacifica had disowned her parents after the events of Weirdmageddon, and soon moved into the Mystery Shack. Of course, her parents were dumb founded, and soon replaced her with a new heir.

Veronica Northwest was a spitting image of her older sister in her younger years and was the bratty princess of the town. However, Pacifica long ago stopped trying to influence her for the better. She was done with the Northwest family and had even legally changed her last name to Pines on her 13th birthday with what little money her parents had left her.

Mabel was surprised when she saw the new last name on her Birth certificate, and just like that Mabel had a sister to help her through the hard times. She filled Dipper's shoes in a heart beat surprising Mabel when she revealed that she was secretly a closet nerd!

Of course, Pacifica was smart, she could ring up designer clothes in her head while including the outrages sales tax. She had too, only nerds carried around calculators! Mabel was thankful for her presents, but sometimes she would slip and call her Dipper. And then she would feel guilty for being able to replace him so easily.

Of course, Pacifica would remind her that Dipper would want her to be happy, and Pacifica had made her happy. She never knew how great it would be to have a sister, but when she was older and certain womanly issues a raised, she was grateful to have someone she could talk to about "Girl stuff!" Sure, there was Wendy, but she didn't live in the shack with her (forcing her to wait until she was free to talk on the phone), and Tim and the twins Ben and Ollie didn't need to be scared for life in the talks of periods and hormonal problems.

So, Pacifica soon became a blessing.

"We are doing the right thing." Pacifica assured her. "They are going to be so happy here."

"But how do I answer their questions." Mabel exclaimed. "What if I forget the cover story and slip?"

"Just breathe." Pacifica advised. "The twins will be her any minute; we should close up shop and meet the others at the bus stop."

Mabel nodded, the anxiety raised in her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it down. She had to be strong, for the safety of the twins. So, without another word she and Pacifica locked up the shop and rushed over to the bus stop.

And just as Pacifica said, everyone was waiting for them!

Ivan, Ollie, Ben, Wendy, Robby, Tambry, Candy, Grenda, Soos and Melody (Who was holding their daughter Rose), and finally Gideon, where all standing along the bus stop waiting to greet the newest members of their family. No not new, they had always been a part of it, they had just been away for so long. Out of all of them Mabel was the only one allowed to visit them, and soon even she was no longer allowed that privilege.

"Hey guys." Wendy exclaimed as they walked up. "Dude I was afraid the bus would show up first!"

"Man, it better hurry up." A well-dressed man beside her said. "If I'm late for this board meeting my boss will kill me."

"Cool it Robby it'll be here any minute." A young woman with Lavender hair assured him as she stood beside him.

"Yo Tambry's right man." Wendy agreed. "Just chill dude it will all work out."

Mabel smiled, it still amazed her how much Robby had changed. He was so upstanding now, a businessman who was going places. Dressed up in a blue suit and tie it was hard to believe this guy used to be Goth! But then again having a child in High school can do that to a boy, or at least it should.

Mabel thought so.

Tambry hadn't change much however, of course that only made her one of the coolest moms ever! Their daughter Raven always had the latest phone, the coolest video games, and family vacations were full of thrills and heart stopping adventure.

Wendy smiled She was happy for them; deeply and truly, but sometimes she was bitter. At least Tambry had Robby. Wendy was stuck raising her daughter on her own; she grimaced, stuck was a harsh word. Her daughter Chloe was heaven sent; it was her father that was the mistake! She shook her head it wasn't the time or place to get into that now. Besides that, bastard Josh wasn't worth her time.

Chloe on the other hand was, and just like her Mother she was witty, daring, and free spirited. Always winning first place in every lumberjack competition her grandfather placed her in. Yes, she was a Corduroy through and through; heck the only thing she didn't have was The Corduroy's trademark red hair.

No, hers was brown…like her father's.

Wendy shook her head again. _'Don't go there.'_ Yes, she knew better. But still how could she have been so stupid? The guy says 'I love you' once, and suddenly she was sold. He was the first and only guy she ever went to second base with, and this is how he treated her for it. She dropped the baby bomb thinking he'd be thrilled.

He wasn't, he was running, and kicking up dust in a heartbeat.

Leaving her alone with a huge responsibility In the middle of junior year. Some of the other girl's at school told her to put her up for adoption, or to just get rid of it! Like her baby was common trash. But she could never do that, she had a choice to be with her angel, Mabel did not. And when Chloe was born, and Wendy held her for the first time; she was sold.

And when their eyes met, she knew; this was what real love felt like.

Wendy sighed, oh how she wished Chloe could have been here, at age eleven she was only a few months younger than the twins, and she just knew her, and Star would hit it off! But Chloe had a big Math test today that she just couldn't miss!

Raven was also in school for the same reason. Wendy found herself laughing, leave it to her and Tambry to get pregnant with in months of each other. She shouldn't have been surprised, they did everything together, and it would seem that included teenage pregnancy and parenting.

How many times had Tambry, drove Chloe to school with her daughter? How many times had she watched her overnight, while Wendy struggled through college? How many times did she bring over dinner, or lend a hand for gas money and groceries?

More times than Wendy could count.

Tambry, and Robby had never let her drowned, and she was grateful to have such close friends.

"I hope they settle in alright." Mabel mumbled. "Maybe I should have let them stay where they were already comfortable." She began to chew on a strand of her hair. She did that when she was nervous. Suddenly she gasped. "What if they hate me for being out of their lives for so long?"

"Mabes they'll love you." Pacifica assured her. "Besides, it was that dumb Tom's fault."

"Yeah, I can't believe that jerk said you couldn't see them anymore!" Wendy agreed. "Men like that make me want to scream!"

"Yes." Candy agreed. "Besides, they will not be alone, they will have Chloe, and Raven…"

"And let's not forget our little Paris." A young Asian man standing beside her said.

"Awe yes." Candy agreed. "See many friends."

Mabel smiled the man beside Candy was her husband Chen, they had met when Candy was studying the Cultural Arts in Paris, France. They dated for the 3 years that she had studied there and to everyone surprise Chen had come to America with her once she returned. They soon married after that and was thrilled to begin a family.

Sadly, Candy learned she could not bear children of her own, so Mabel had Franny hook them up with a child of their very own to adopt. There was many to choose from, and Candy, and Chen met many boys and girls. But none of them seemed to click, until they met a little Asian girl, by the name of Paris, the exact place the two had met and fell in love.

Candy had said it was fate, and soon Paris became their beautiful little girl.

Mabel remembered how happy Candy was, after months of trying, and several disappointments her dream of being a mother had come true.

And now so would Mabel's…

Was she ready?

She thought so, but sometimes her fear got the best of her, after all these two kids would have their lives in her hands. Their safety would be her responsibility!

Everyone around her placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're not alone." Ivan assured her. "We've got your back."

"You've got this Hambone." Soos assured her.

Mabel smiled, knowing he was right, and that's when the bus pulled up.

Her heart skipped a beat, this was it!

"You ready for this?" She asked Pacifica.

"Nope." Pacifica said with a nervous laugh. And for good reason, sure they shared the Shack with Soos, and melody and Ivan (but not his boys since they moved out), but unlike them Pacifica and Mabel had no prior knowledge of parenting.

Once those doors opened, they would be entering the unknown.

The doors slid open, and Mabel found it hard to breathe.

"Last stop Gravity Falls!" The driver said.

For a moment there was nothing, an eternity stretched out of waiting until finally the twins stepped into view. She had seen several pictures of them thanks to Franny but seeing them get off that bus made her realize just how much similar they were to her and Dipper.

Star is wearing an octopus sweater covered in glitter, and Comet is wearing a baseball cap with a comet shooting across it; the one she made for him so a piece of Dipper would always be with them.

Tears formed in her eyes, as the twins stepped off the bus, and stood their staring, eyes searching; and then they fall on her.

The world seems to pause…as if taking a breath for the first time in 12 years.

Finally, as the Bus pulled away realization sparked in Comet's eyes. "Aunt Mabel?" He asked unsure.

Mabel broke down then and ran up to them; her arms embracing them both, tears spilling from her eyes.

And Comet found himself crying too, all this time he acted out, because he thought that deep down his real family was glad to be rid of him and Star. Only to be embraced and covered in tears the moment they arrived.

It was in this moment that he decided to stay true to his promise that he made to his sister. Today a new Comet was born. No more reckless stunts or getting into trouble; his family needed him.

Star needed him!

However, as hard as he would try trouble would soon find him.

Trouble would soon find them all…

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes**

Thanks for reading as always, I ask you to leave a comment.

The next chapter will be up soon.

End Notes

Until then this is...

 **Emily signing off :)**


	4. Welcome to Gravity Falls

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Well here we are with another chapter sorry for the long silence again, life happens. Anyway, for all of you guys who are wondering about Dipper and Bill fear not! They will be in the next chapter!

Anyways thanks For reading and Please review

* * *

 **(Back with Star...)**

The hug could have lasted forever…

Star would have been just find with that too, but she was also super eager to meet all the new people around her. So, she pulled away.

Mabel smiled down at them. "Let me get a good look at you." She said. "You look just like…"

"Mom?" Comet asked.

Mabel nodded. Tears still dripping down her face. "I miss them all so much." She admitted. Gods she suddenly knew what it was like to be Grunkle Stan, living a double life where she hid the truth from two curious twins. Irony did always have a funny since of humor.

"Ok not to be rude." Comet said. "But if you're the only one left who are all these people!"

"Yeah who are these guys?" Star asked.

Mable smiled. "This is our extended family." She explained. "Sure, none of them are really related to us by blood, but some bonds go beyond blood."

"Like Ann?" Star asked.

"Exactly." Mabel exclaimed. "Now this is your Aunt Pacifica." She said introducing her to the twins. "She's been my sister since we were thirteen and helped me get through the days that I spent away from you."

Pacifica smiled nervously down at the twins. She never really had any luck with kids, sure the only kid she didn't have luck with was her sister Veronica, but that experience alone was enough to give her doubts on whether she was really cut out for this. "Hi…guys it's nice…to meet you." She tried a smile, but it's too forced.

Luckily, Star senses her trouble. "It's okay Aunt Pacifica, We're nervous too. Right bro?"

Comet nodded. "So, you grew up with Aunt Mabel?" he asked.

Pacifica nodded.

"So, you knew our mom?" Star asked.

Pacifica nodded again.

"What was she like?" Comet asked, touching his hat subconsciously.

"She was very brave." Pacifica said. "And smart, she loved to solve mysteries, and she loved you very much."

Mabel smiled; Pacifica was doing great! Then again, she was a Northwest, and they were famous for their lying skills. However, now that Mabel that about it the words weren't really lies, Dipper really was all those things. She gave Pacifica a nod and moved on to the next person of introduction. "Kids this is your Great-grandfather Ivan! Who took the responsibility of raising me, his grandsons, and Pacifica after the fire."

"Hello there." Ivan said. "It's a thrill to finally see you again." He gestured to the two young men beside him. "And as Mabel said these are my grandsons, Ollie and Ben.

Comet smiled as he realized it in an instant. "You two are twins!"

"Like us!" Star exclaimed.

"Yes, twins seem to run in the family." Ivan said. "Even without blood relations being involved."

"We also have an adopted brother Name Tim." Ben added. "He's down in Florida finishing his degree."

"He'll be down to visit later next week." Ivan assured them.

"Hi I'm Star!" Star said, shaking Ollie's hand vigorously.

Ollie laughs and shakes with just as much force. "Wow it's like looking back in time." He said.

"Do we really look that much like her?" Star asked.

"You look like them." Ben said.

"Them?" Comet asked.

"Yeah it feels like not too long ago we met Mabel and Dipper for the first time." Ollie said.

"Dipper?" Star asked.

"Oh, that was your uncle." Ivan cut in, giving the boys a look. "Mason, most just called him Dipper though."

"Mason was your twin?" Star asked looking to Mabel.

Mabel nodded. "He would have loved meeting you." She whispered.

"Anyway, I'm Wendy." Wendy cut in, in hopes of changing the subject, and the mood. "You can call me whatever you want."

Mabel smiled. "Your "Aunt Wendy!" here has a daughter who just a few months younger than you."

"Really!" Star exclaimed. "Where is she?" She asked looking around.

She's at school sweetie." Wendy said. "But she'll be home shortly."

"Oh." Star's face fell suddenly. "She probably wouldn't like me anyway." She whispered only low enough for Comet to hear.

Her brother bit his lower lip, Star had a magnet personality, but her spontaneous weirdness was known for making potential friends run in the opposite direction.

Mabel sighed she knew how that felt. "You know there are a lot of kids around here your age." Wendy added.

"Yes, our Daughter Paris is your age." Candy cut in. Her husband nodded and offered the twins his hand.

Comet shook it happily as did Star.

"My name is Chen." Her husband said. "And this here is Candy."

Candy smiled. "Mabel and I have been friends since we met her first summer here."

"Cool." Star said, her mood feeling a little better.

"And this is Grenda." Candy added.

Grenda smiled and said in her unusually deep force. "Gravity Falls is full of wonderful people, I'm sure you'll have more friends than you'll know what to do with."

Star allowed the smile to form completely now, it was nice having so many people who cared about her and her brother. For the longest time she thought it was just Ann who loved them, but all this time there was over a dozen other family members eager to meet them for the first time.

"I'm sorry Tom wouldn't let you see us anymore." Comet suddenly said.

Mabel smiled. "We're together now, that's all that matters." She assured them as she moved on to Gideon. "Guys this is your uncle Gideon, and well he likes to think he's a smooth talker."

Gideon smiled. "That's because I am." He said with a wink as he shook the twins' hands. "Gideon Gleeful at your service and let me just say that it's a joy to meet you. Such a joy."

Star smiled. "I like this guy." She admitted.

"Which means I am force to find you highly suspicious in character." Comet said without even cracking a smile.

Gideon froze for a moment before bursting out into a fit of laughter. "Oh, my word they are exactly like them."

Mabel gave a nervous laugh because he was right. Star at that moment sounded a lot like Dipper when he met a mysteriously new person. Unfortunately, at the moment that would mean that Comet sounded exactly like his father. Mabel shook the thought away as she moved the twins along to the next family member.

Comet was nothing like Bill, neither of them were. They were like Dipper and her, and that was the only description she would accept. "Guys this your uncle Robby and your Aunt Tambry."

"Hey kids." Robby said elbowing Tambry who was busy texting as usual.

"Sorry." Tambry said. "Raven just text me, she says she thinks she really aced this test." She gave the twins a wave. "They should be coming down the ramp any minute."

"Oh, that's perfect!" Pacifica said. "Now we can all walk home together."

Comet gave a nervous smile. "So Raven, Chloe, and Paris Hu?" He asked. "Looks like I'm the only guy my age." He shrugged. "Just my luck."

Star giggled. "Don't let him fool you, Comet likes being surrounded by girls."

Comet blushed and gave his sister a stern look and a swift elbow nudge in the arm. "Do not!"

"Well before they get here." Mabel said with a laugh. "Last but certainly not least we have your Uncle Soos and Aunt Melody with little baby Rose."

"Sup Dudes." Soos said giving them each a fist bump.

"Say hi Rose." Melody said as she used her daughters hand to give a little wave.

Rose babbled and laughed.

"Wow." Star said. "I never realized how big our family was." He admitted.

"We don't all live together do we?" Comet asked fearfully. He could already imagine the crowded house.

"No Silly." Pacifica teased. "We live together on the same property, but we all have our own places."

Mabel smiled; she still couldn't believe that Pacifica had done that. After her parents disowned her Pacifica had thought she'd end-up penniless, however much to her surprise her grandmother had left a small fortune to her in the form of a trust fund. Once she turned 21 her parents, we forced to give it to her, and what Pacifica did with the money still shocked her to this day.

Pacifica Northwest used the money to renovate and remodel the entire Mystery Shack she than used the rest of the money to add several more houses on the property allowing Ivan, Tim, Ollie and Ben their own place. Soos and Melody also had their own house along with Candy and Chen who rented a room out to Grenda. Robby and Tambry also had their own house and Wendy and Chloe rented a small apartment room that was adjacent to it.

Finally, Gideon had moved the tent of Telepathy onto the property allowing the whole gang to live in close together.

Of course, Pacifica's reasoning was that she wanted to provide for her new family, she even put some money away for Comet and Star. But Mabel couldn't help but feel like Pacifica had spoiled everyone. Sure, it was convenient for Wendy who was struggling to make ends meet as she fought through college with no child support from her dirt bag ex. And the Shack was getting crowded with her, Pacifica, Ivan, Tim, Ollie, Ben, Soos Melody and Rose trying to fit in its withering structure. But she still felt bad that she spent it all on them.

Pacifica however, said that her family's dirty money was best used to provide for people who actually deserved some good fortune for once in their lives.

Just then a school bus pulled up on the road in front of them.

"Aunt Mabel when do we start school?" Star asked hopefully.

"Next Monday." Mabel answered. "I wanted to give you guys some time to settle in before you had to worry about stuff like that.

"Won't we fall behind?" Comet asked fearfully.

"No, you guys school back in Defuniak Springs started in early August." Pacifica explained. "School doesn't start here until the first week of September." She revealed. "So, you guys are way ahead of the rest of them."

"Sweet." Comet said with a smile. "I'm actually a head for once."

"Speaking of." Mabel gave him a stern look. "You better work on getting your grades up."

Comet forced a laugh, but Star stepped in. "It's okay Aunt Mabel." She said. "Comet already promised me to do his very best this time around." She gave her brother a stern look. "Right bro."

Comet smiled openly now. "Right I'm a brand new me." He assured them.

"Good." Mabel said. "Do you know how much I worried when I heard the trouble you were getting in?"

Comet suddenly felt a ting of guilt creep in that is until Mabel smiled.

"It's okay, trouble runs in the family." She assured him. "We Pines seem to enjoy egging it on. But no more bad grades Mr." She winked. "You come from a family of geniuses after all."

"Really?" Comet asked.

"Yep both of your parents were pure geniuses." Ivan said before he could catch himself.

Comet's face lit up. "You knew our dad?" he asked hopefully.

Ivan bit his lip as everyone gave him a look of disbelief. "Oops sorry."

"So, you weren't gonna tell us about him?" Comet looked at Mabel almost hurt.

Mabel sighed and kneeled down close beside the two twins as the bus behind them began to empty. "How old are you two now?" She asked.

"Twelve." Star managed to answer.

Mabel nodded. "You know we met your father when we were twelve." She said surprising everyone else.

Comet lit up once more. "Really? You've known him that long?"

Mabel smiled. "I know you guys have a lot of questions." She said. "And he's your father, just like Megan is your mom. You guys have a right to know everything, and you will." She promised.

"When?" Comet asked.

"When you're ready." Mabel said.

Comet and Star looked at each other and gave each other a nod.

"Okay Aunt Mabel." Star said. "We trust you."

Mabel nodded. "Good."

"Could you just answer one question?" Comet asked.

Mabel nodded, but the fear was obvious in her eyes.

"Did he love us?" Comet asked. "Our Dad, did he care about us?"

Mabel looked at both of the twins and embraced them. "Your parents loved you both very much." She told them.

"Then why did he leave?" Star said. "Doesn't he want us?"

"Sweetie." Mabel said through tears. "I know it's hard to understand but sometimes Adults try really hard, but they're not perfect, they make mistakes. Giving you up was the hardest thing for all of us, but none of us were ready to take care of two newborns."

"So, they were giving us our best chance?" Star asked.

Mabel nodded. "The decision was hard on all of us, your dad didn't make good decisions, but this one." She paused. "Leaving you with someone who could give you everything you could ever need. That was the best decision he ever made."

Comet finally allowed himself to breathe all these years he figured his dad must have been some horrible person to leave them, but now the truth was right in front of them. The only people who left was Star and Comet. Their family stayed here in Gravity Falls where they had always been, it was the twin who had left them behind.

Star hugged Mabel once more, she always thought that their dad was a bad person because she never got to see them. However, now that she was older, she understood that some parents thought it was easier to stay out of their lives. If they were happy with a family that loved them why ruin that by showing up? All that would do was bring confusion into their lives, confusion that adoption was supposed to fix.

They should have known better, if their mom was just a kid, then of course their dad couldn't have been much older. Comet felt a little better knowing that his dad had been some scared kid who was not ready for parenthood. It was a lot better than thinking he was some heartless bum who could care less about them.

"Were here!" A girl with black hair exclaimed happily.

The group turned to see a girl with long black hair pushed back in a white head band. She was wearing an army green shirt with a white Eiffel tower and the word Paris written underneath. Finally, she wear a white undershirt and dark blue jeans with sneakers.

Two more girls were walking beside her.

Candy smiled. "Comet, Star this is Paris." She gestured to the first girl.

Paris light up. "You mean this is them." She surprised Star with a huge hug.

"Oh hi!" She said.

"I'm so glad you're finally here!" Paris exclaimed. "Mabel tells us you love crafts."

"I do." Star said surprised that they would know that.

"Dude this is perfect." The Girl with brown hair said. She was wearing a black shirt with a blue Pine Tree on it and matching earrings. She also wear a black skirt and combat boots. "Names Chloe." She offered Star a fist bump.

Star is obviously about to explode with joy, but due to past experiences she tries to hold it in. The last thing she wants to do is scare these potential friends away. She returns the first bump and Chloe turns to Comet.

Comet however is currently on cloud nine and has no idea. _'She's so pretty.'_ He thought. _'Oh, wait she's looking at me!'_ he noticed. _'Did she say something I wasn't listening?!'_

"Dude don't leave me handing." Chloe told him.

Comet looked and noticed her fist. "Oh right." He said and gave her a fist bump while trying to hide his blushing face under his hat.

Mabel giggled and gave Wendy a wink.

Wendy smiled. "Somethings never change."

"At least she's not three years older than him." Robby whispered in her ear.

Wendy forced down a laugh.

"Oh, this is Raven." Paris said pointing to the girl with the raven black hair beside them. Her hair had pink highlights and she was wearing a hot pink shirt with a black skirt and a matching black leather jacket. Finally, she wear black sneakers with hot pink laces. "Raven rarely looks up from her phone." Paris explained.

"Sup." Raven said giving them the pace sign without even bothering to look up.

"Nice to meet you!" Star suddenly exclaimed unable to control her outburst any longer. "I love your hair!" She screeched.

Comet winced as he awaited the scoffs of indifference that was sure to come. Everyone always told Star that she was just too hyper. However, Raven just shrugged and said.

"I can give you some if you want." She paused to look up. "But I think you'd look better with a blue or a purple. Chlo?" She said looking to Chloe.

"Definitely purple." Chloe said. "We can do it in the club house tonight."

"You guys have a club house?" Comet asked.

"Yep that's why I asked about Star's crafting." Paris said. "It's in desperate need of a makeover."

Star was actually jumping with joy as she squealed.

Comet forced a smile; he was happy Star was fitting in so well and yeah, the girls seemed nice but he kind of wished there were some guys to hang out with.

"You like looking at stars?" Chloe suddenly asked him.

"Uh yeah sure." Comet said.

"Good cause there's a telescope with your name on it." Chloe said with a wink.

Comet smiled. "I bet I'll know the name of more stars than you!"

"Okay." Chloe said. "But just to warn you we Corduroys never lose a challenge."

Comet smiled, maybe being the only boy in the group wasn't so bad after all.

"Alright everyone let's get these kids on home and we can show off the property!" Mabel said.

"Yes!" Paris exclaimed. "I can't wait for you to see the club house "Soos made it for us!'

"It gives you kids something to do." Soos said.

"We even have working electricity and a TV!" Chloe explained. "We practically live there on the weekends and summer break."

"Will there be enough room with two more?" Star asked.

"Room?" Raven laughed. "It has four bedrooms and a main room plus a balcony."

"That's where the telescope is." Chloe explained. "During the meteor shower it's the best place in town for great seats."

"Meteor Shower?" Comet asked.

"There's a big one every year!" Paris explained.

Meanwhile as the kids lead the way home Gideon pulled Mabel back for a moment. "I'm sorry Mabel." He said. "I didn't mean to mention Bill like that." He whispered.

"It's okay." Mabel said. "We knew they'd have questions, and I meant what I said."

"Mabel." Ivan warned.

"No." Mabel whispered. "Grunkle Stan kept the truth from us and it made things worse in the end." She told him.

"So, we're telling them the truth?" Pacifica asked.

"When they're ready." Mabel told them.

"How will we know they're ready?" Ollie asked.

"We just will." Mabel said as the sun began to sink behind the trees. She stopped and looked up at the stars for a moment. "Dipper would want them to know." She said.

"I wonder what it's like there." Gideon admitted.

"I'm sure horrible." Mabel said. "After all Bill is there."

The other's nodded their agreement none of them knowing that said horrors would once again descend onto their hometown.

And none of them knowing just how soon that horrible nightmare would occur…

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes**

Thank you for reading. As always, I ask you to please commit. The next chapter will be posted soon, so until then this is...

-Emily Signing off :)


	5. A New Pawn in an Old Game

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Alright guys, as promised we are finally back to Dipper and Bill! Just what have they been doing for the past twelve years you might ask? Well let's find out, shall we?

As always thanks for reading and Please review

* * *

 **(Location: The Nightmare Realm)**

Boredom…

Out of all the things he thought would plague him in this world of eternal despair, boredom had not even crossed his mind.

Mason Dipper Cipher looked across the wasteland before him in utter indifference, and to say that this place was nothing like he thought was definitely the understated of the century.

Why you may ask?

Well originally Dipper had thought that the Nightmare Realm would look a lot like Gravity Falls did under Bills rule. However, the new Demonic goddess couldn't have been more wrong!

The Nightmare Realm was a bare wasteland as far as the eye could see, the Sky was red, and the ground was black as tar. In fact, if it weren't for the small detail that demons came in several colors Dipper was sure he's forget what blue or purple even looked like. And as much as he hated to admit it the dull scenery took little time to play on his nerves, and the worse part was Bill knew it.

Ah Bill Cipher, every day the little nuisance went out of his way to make Dipper's life a living hell. Oh, how he would just love to run away from that little devil and be done with him. However, such a choice proved to be foolish from week one!

Dipper had looked away for one moment, some stupid ice demon had started a fight with some fire demon. And now that Dipper thought about it, he was sure Bill had convinced them to start the fight in the first place, because once Dipper was distracted the dream demon had slipped into the mindscape to cause trouble!

Dipper hated when Bill went there, because unfortunately like all other demons Dipper was not able to enter the mindscape. Such access was for dream demons only, and Dipper feared the trouble Bill could cause there. All he had to do was visit the dreams of a human he had made a past deal with and suddenly the havoc could start again.

Luckily, no one in Gravity Falls would dare make a deal with him again. Dipper had even heard him grumbling once that even Gideon had turned him down. This of course pleased him however it didn't stop Bill from torturing them in their dreams, and with every visit a new threat occurred. The exposure of Dipper's greatest secret.

The twins!

If Bill knew they still existed then he could visit them in their dreams without needing to be summoned, as their father they were already connected through blood. Then all he'd have to do is gain their trust and trick them into rejoining with their demon half's and then the twins would have the power to open a rift from their side.

And by the time Dipper knew what was happening it would be too late; Bill would be out and even if Dipper managed to get everything back under control the damage would be done. Bill would know the truth about the twins, and he would never stop trying to get to them!

And that is why Dipper feared those trips to the mindscape, if Bill ever decided to pick around in Gideon's or the other's minds, he may accidentally discover memories of the twins. Or worse if Mabel or Wendy dreamed about them, Bill might see it and put two and two together. So many variables where unknown, and like always Dipper found himself powerless to stop it.

Luckily however, Bill couldn't visit the mindscape often due to the fact that he was still very weak. Sure, he tried to feed off of several other demons, to gain more power, and in some cases he had even been successful. However, these were small victories since Bill was currently at an Underling statues; meaning he could only feed off of other underlings. A meal that would usually give him enough energy for a couple of trips to the Mindscape before it quickly burned out.

Of course, Bill would love to drain a more powerful demon however as an underling he wasn't even strong enough to overpower an aristocrat which was only one level higher than the average underling. Forcing Bill to go after weaker prey. And worse still he had to be wise and let some underlings live for now so he could drain them when he ran out of power later. All and all the process was a never-ending battle that turned out to be a waste of time.

Why?

Because Bill could only pester those who had summoned him in the past, meaning he could only visit the minds of those he had made past deals with. In order to get a new pawn someone would have to summon him of their own free will. Which would in turn give him enough power to move from one mind to another more freely. But without a fresh summoning Bill was forced to use the pawns he had already shown his cards to, and each pawn was not buying what he was selling.

Especially now that they knew it meant the end of their world!

Yes, **Weirdmageddon** had shown the multiverse Bill's true nature, and now no one wanted him anywhere but where he belonged.

A wasteland of boredom!

Dipper supposed it was only fitting that his intellectual mind would be bored for all eternity. Yes, as a demon of vengeance he could see how eternal boredom was the perfect punishment for his crimes. It was the other punishment he could do without.

Of course, said punishment was that of his mate, and the constant fear that he would discover the truth.

Nevertheless, sometimes Dipper would let his guard down and begin to wonder what it was they could be doing right now. Such a thought was dangerous in many ways. As eternal mates Dipper could easily invade Bill's mind if he didn't have his guard up and vice versa. Dipper had discovered this one day when he was thinking about the twins.

Bill had noticed him deep in thought and decided to take a peek.

Luckily, he mistaken Dipper's thoughts as _'I wonder what they'd be doing now if they were still alive'_ instead of; _'I wonder what they are doing now that we're no longer in their lives.'_

Still the fact that Dipper was the one that almost blew the secret made a heavy and lasting impression causing Dipper to never let his guard down again.

Of course, that was enough to get Bill to wonder, Dipper was sure of it, however all he could do was hope that Bill mistaken his newly guarded behavior as a ruse to appear less weak around him.

Meanwhile, as Dipper was getting use to the Nightmare Realm, Bill was doing what he always did there. Plotting and scheming his way out, a task that kept him very busy, so busy in fact that interaction between him and his mate was rare to say the least.

Mate, it felt strange to still call each other that and yet they technically still were. Their wedding had bonded them together as mates for eternity. An act that could not be undone, no once you bonded it was forever. And as strange as it was Bill could honestly say he still did not regret bonding with Dipper.

Yes, as stupid as it must sound if given the chance to start all over, he'd do it all again. After all, it was thanks to Dipper that he had become a God in the first place. Had the child never fallen for him Weirdmageddon would have ended a lot sooner thanks to the stunt Stan and Ford almost pulled by switching clothes during their final deal. Causing Bill to be completely back at square one, a powerless dream demon with no way out.

And sure, he was powerless now, but he had plenty of ways out.

The first obviously would be Dipper himself, true the kid put them all here in the first place, but Bill knew that a lot of it had to do with the fact that the kid still saw himself as human. All new Demons, who were once human, struggled with this. Sure, humans becoming demons was rare now days due to them being trapped in separate worlds, but such a thing use to be more common when Earth Realm was much younger.

In fact, Bill himself was once human, and just like Dipper he struggled with letting go of his humanity. However, in time the emotions that made him human faded. And Bill knew that this too would happen to Dipper, it was after all-natural order of things. Whether Dipper liked it or not soon he would lose his humanity. In fact, the kid almost did lose it back when they were still in Gravity Falls, on the day he defeated his sister and betrayed their initial plan to destroy Bill with the Zodiac.

Yes, Dipper would have most certainty had reach the point of no return when it came to losing his humanity had it not been for the birth of the twins.

Yes, Bill had since a change in him the moment they were conceived, the old Dipper was back his lust for power and revenge gone the moment they were born. Yes, Bill had felt all of this, it was impossible not to when the two were bonded forever. They felt what the other felt whether they liked it or not.

This would explain why Bill started feeling human emotions again it was because of Dipper wow still had humanity fresh on his mind. But now that the twins were gone surely it was only a matter of time before Dipper lost his humanity all together. Especially now that he was cut off from all humans, and once his humanity was gone Bill was sure he could convince Dipper to do what all demons do which was seek more power!

Doing so added thrill to another wise eternally boring existence, and Bill could tell Dipper was getting bored. He and Light craved the thrill of a challenge, anything to get the gears of their intellectual brains turning.

And yet the two had endured a lot longer than Bill ever thought possible, for twelve long years he had held on. Such a feat was unheard of, and since the twins were gone Bill could only assume that it must be the existence of his last known family member Mabel. Perhaps once she was gone the kid would finally give in, but until then Bill had to rely on the hopes that a new pawn would summon him.

Sure, Sixer's stupid journals were gone, but Bill knew of one place that the summoning ritual still was. It was located where Ford had originally discovered it the mysterious cave, a cave he knew would never be found by his enemies.

Why?

Because the cave was known as the Cave of knowledge a name chosen of obvious reasons, the cave itself held answers too many secrets about Gravity Falls; and Bill's summoning ritual was just one of hundred cave drawings.

The case and Point?

A cave full of such vast knowledge could not be found by just anyone, in fact only an inquisitive mind desperate for answers just as Ford was would be able to. This was one of the Cave's best defenses since it held knowledge known by nothing else but those it shared it with. Its destruction would mean the loss of thousands of years' worth of history. The Cave even possessed some secrets about a time before man even existed in Earth Realm.

And it was because of this that anyone or anything that felt ill towards the cave and it's knowledge would never be successful in finding it. It was the Cave's sole purpose to share and preserve this knowledge and whether the pines family liked it or not that knowledge included a way to summon Bill.

And Bill knew he would be summoned again, because there was always a sucker like Ford who would do anything for answers. One day someone new would arrive at Gravity Falls and demand answers for the weird and unexplained things there, it was simply inevitable. After all humans were natural curious creatures.

One day history would repeat itself he was sure of it; however, the wait was still unbearable.

After all last time his plans went south, he had to wait 30 years for Fords stupider brother to fix and open the portal so his plans could continue! There was no telling how long he'd have to wait this time, and sure time was meaningless to demons, but boredom brought the worse out of them all!

Especially Light, when he was bored Bill was sure to find his day filled with pain and hardship. Yes, the demon of vengeance did see Bill as the reason why he was stuck here anyways. Even though he and Dipper were the reasons why Bill and the rest of them were stuck here forever.

 _'Leave it to a demon of vengeance to twist the truth to better suit their needs.'_ He thought. Still he had to admit Dipper did have a point if Bill had been less power-hungry Dipper would have never became strong enough to defeat him. For it was his hunger for power that drove him to bond with the kid in the first place.

And yet despite it all Bill would still do it all over again.

A fact that angered every demon around him.

Still despite his new status as an underling Bill's original gang of misfits still flocked around him, minus Teeth who had paid the ultimate price for killing his spawn! But even though they still welcomed his company it was obvious that no one actually expected Bill to ever get lucky enough to catch back up with Dipper in this lifetime. Still just as before, the thought that they just might get out was too tantalizing not to encourage him.

"I'm telling you as soon as I'm summoned, we're golden." Bill assured them for what had to be the tenth thousand time.

"And how are you going to keep him from stealing all your power once you get enough back?" Keyhole asked.

"Simple." Bill answered as if it was nothing. "I'll do what I did last time and stay in the mindscape."

It was a solid plan, but it hung on the hope that he would be summoned, and of course he would be one day. Such a thing always happened; it was one part of history that always repeated itself no matter how hard Bill's enemies tried to stop it.

Which was why the Zodiac was created in the first place, it was designed by Time Baby as the last defense against Bill. Because even he could not stop the unavoidable summoning of Bill Cipher. Still waiting for this miracle to happen was like waiting for rain in a desert. You knew eventually the rain would come, but it could take a long time, and such a fact deeply grinded on all of their nerves.

Fights constantly broke out and chaos did ensure, however Dipper allowed it to go on. And Bill had to admit for someone who had just became a demon the kid seemed to be doing well as far as ruling them on his own. He understood chaos was unavoidable, and yet he could bring order with a single shout. No one dared crossed him, all but Bill who knew Dipper would never go as far as to kill him.

Of course, everyone assumed this was because doing so would destroy their bond and without it Dipper would grow weaker until he was an Alpha demon, which was still very powerful, but demonic lords would actually have a chance to catch up to him in power and challenge him, maybe even defeat him.

However, Bill knew the real reason why Dipper would never kill him; and that reason was love.

Yes, despite it all Dipper still loved him something that surprised Bill to even this day. What could possess the child to have such devotion for him even now? Bill would never know, but he was grateful for the fact all the same because as long as they stayed Gods getting out of here was much easier than tricking a human into making a portal that would take nearly a decade to build.

"Well it better be soon." Pyronica hissed. "I swear one more day of this and I'll…"

Suddenly a small underling by the name of Shinigami came floating over, now Shinigami was once the underling of Bill's father when he was king of the Nightmare Realm. However now that Lucas Venroe was gone Shinigami had become more or less an outsider.

Until recently that is, now he was a member of Bill's gang and Teeth's replacement.

Why?

Because Dipper had taken a liking to Shinigami and had taken him in as his new underling. Of course, he needed a new one after he had destroyed Yuko and Magenta. Or Bill assumed he had destroyed the two after all Bill had made them and Dipper may have assumed, he could buy their loyalty. However, it would seem Bill would never know what really happened to the two since Dipper always avoid the question, or any question he asked for that matter.

That was why Shinigami was so important to Bill because Dipper actually talked to him, in fact besides Bill, Shinigami was the only other Demon Dipper ever spoke directly to besides Light of course. And even though Bill could tell that Dipper didn't tell Shinigami everything, little knowledge was better than no knowledge at all.

The little underling was also good at warning them when Dipper was headed their way.

"He's coming!" Shinigami warned in a low whisper.

"Scatter!" Bill ordered, and in a flash Keyhole, Hectorgon, Amorphous Shape, Pyronica, Xanthar, and Pacifier were gone.

Leaving just Shinigami who stood before Bill.

"So, what's the word?" Bill asked the smaller underling.

"Somethings got him really off today." Shinigami whispered. "He seems antsy and more closed off than usual."

"Something must be going on in Earth Realm." Bill thought out loud.

"But aren't we cut off?" Shinigami asked. "How can he tell?"

"He's a God Tinny." Bill answered, he had always called Shinigami tinny because he was so small, smaller than any underling ever! "He may not be able to see what's going on, but he can feel it." Bill assured him as he reached out to feel the feeling for himself. And in an instant, he saw that Shinigami was right, his mate was feeling a since of uneasiness.

However, he couldn't tell why.

Which was exactly why Dipper was headed his way.

"What did you do?" Dipper yelled snatching him up suddenly.

"Nothing." Bill insisted which was actually true for once.

"No, you must have done something!" Light said appearing beside Dipper, now days they rarely used separate forms since it cost precious energy, but sometimes the only way to get answers was to intimidate Bill by out numbering him.

"No honest." Bill said. "Besides I'm all out of juice." He reasoned. "I can't do anything!"

Dipper looked at him closely, it was impossible for the Dorito to lie to him. Sure, he could try, but Dipper would know it was a lie the moment he said it. However, to his surprise he sees that the dream demon isn't lying at all.

 _'But it has to be him.'_ Light thought to Dipper inwardly. _'If he's not the trouble we since then who…'_

He stopped as both he and Dipper realized the answer.

Bill sees the recognition in his eyes, it's a familiar emotion. One his mate hasn't felt for some time.

FEAR!

Bill smiled slyly.

Dipper forced himself to get a grip as he threw Bill roughly. "Well whatever it is you're doing you better stop while you're ahead." He warned.

Bill chuckled softly as Dipper and Light retreated.

"Okay what did I miss?" Shinigami asked dumbly.

"Why Tinny isn't it obvious?" Bill asked.

"Uh no." Shinigami said. "That's why I'm asking."

Bill shook his head as his usual henchmen circled around him. "He's nervous." Bill reasoned. "And it's obviously not me."

His henchmen laughed their approval, but as always Shinigami was slow on the update.

"Meaning?"

"There's a new player in the game." Bill answered. "A new pawn to bend to our will, and they'll reveal themselves soon."

"How do you know?" Shinigami challenged.

"Because that's the only thing that could cause Pine Tree to worry." Bill reasoned. "Trust me Boys things are finally starting to look in our favor."

Yes, soon they would break free of this prison once more…it was only a matter of time!

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes**

Thank you for reading. As always, I ask you to please commit. The next chapter will be posted soon, so until then this is...

-Emily Signing off :)


	6. A Voice Calls My Name

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** As always thanks for reading and Please review!

* * *

 **(Location: Gravity Falls)**

He had known from his ease dropping over the years that his Aunt Mabel was a bit strange. Like how she cooked glitter into sweets and wear colorful sweaters in the summer heat!

But this…

Well Comet was not ready for this!

"Welcome to the Fashion Shack!" Mabel exclaimed as they burst through the doors.

Most of the welcoming Party had left the Twins to get settled in Leaving only Wendy, Ollie, Ben, Ivan, Pacifica and Mabel to show them around. However, Chloe assured the twins that she and their friends would return once their homework was done. So, after splitting ways at the bus stop the twins and the remain adults walked a short ways down the road to where they were now.

A small cabin surrounded by woods.

The place didn't look like much from the outside, Just another tourist trap with a fresh coat of paint. The large purple letters "Fashion Shack" Didn't appear too flashy or out of place, however the inside well it was a whole other story.

Star gasped at the scene before her, rows and rows of authentic designer clothes met her gaze. And it became obvious to her that they were created by two different designers. Some clothes were hip and screamed popularity. While others matched Mabel's own style, colorful and with a free-spirited personality.

"It's like I've died and gone to fashion heaven." Star exclaimed as she began to riffle through the racks of clothes. "Did you guys make these?" She asked.

Mabel nodded looking around the shack with a sense of pride even though she knew Grunkle Stan must be turning over in his grave at the thought of his beloved Mystery Shack being turned into this! Still the change was necessary, they all knew one day the twins would return and the less they knew about Gravity Falls' mysterious side the safer they would be.

She knew she couldn't lie to them forever, that eventually Gravity Falls would reveal it's true colors to them. After all, the same thing had happened for her and Dipper; Gravity Falls seemed normal the first few days. However, after the first week the supernatural flooded in!

"Yeah after the fire Ivan rebuild the shack." Mabel explained. "And after graduation, Pacifica and I turned it into this."

"It's always been my dream to design clothes." Pacifica said. "And because we have two different styles we get twice as many customers."

"I think it's nice that all kinds of people can come here." Star said. "Guys, Girls, Popular, not so popular, Wild, Crazy, and conservative." She showed off several outfits as she spoke, each one represented a style. "This place has everything!"

"Well looks like we know which one got your genes." Ollie joked to Mabel.

Comet, however, was lost in something else Mabel had said. "This is where the fire happened?" He suddenly asked.

All the adults shared a look and nodded.

"The family was over for a reunion." Wendy explained. "The stove was left on, Mabel and Pacifica were returning from a shopping spree and."

"It was up in flames." Mabel whispered, her heart feeling heavy. She hated lying to the twins, but she knew that they were not ready for the truth. That most of their family died in a war against their father and his lust for power. No, it was better to blame an unstoppable force of nature than their own flesh and blood.

For now, at least.

"Not everyone made it out." Ivan stated the obvious.

"But you did." Mabel said kneeling in front of the twins. "I lost a lot that day, but when you two were born a few days later I thought _'At least I still have you.'_

"We're sorry Tom made you stay away." Star said.

Mabel shook her head. "It was for the best." She said. "He was harsh, but he was right. I wasn't ready to take care of you yet. So, I took his advice and studied hard, and I learned how to manage my own business."

"You're the manager?" Star asked looking to Pacifica.

"She's better with keeping up with the paperwork." Pacifica admitted. "Plus, I like the fact that I can focus solely on my designs."

Comet found a smile slipping on his face, the fact that they could still live here after so much target had happened made him feel a sense of pride. His Aunt Mabel could have let this place scar her for life, but instead she turned it into a place that brought joy.

And somehow, he just knew his mom would be have wanted that. A happy place where her kids to grow up, a place that had once been her own.

"So, is it exactly as it was before?" Star asked.

"Yep." Ivan said proudly. "I remodeled it to a T!"

Comet closed his eyes and breathed it in, trying to imagine his mother running around her at his age. His Aunt Mabel, and her twin Dipper, fighting over the bathroom, or watching TV together in the den. He wondered what his great-great uncles were like and his grandparents too! Comet looked to his sister and realized she must be wondering the same thing too, because her usually happy face had grown more serious.

"I know it's a lot to take in." Mabel told them. "But she would have wanted you to have raised here."

The twins nodded, somehow, they knew their Aunt Mabel was right. Their mom would want them to be in the house she grew up in. because by doing so they would be as close to her as physically possible.

Suddenly something catches Comet's eye, it's an old vending machine by a door that says "Employees Only"

"Oh my gosh!" Star exclaimed seeing it too. "Is that a vending machine?" She ran over to it. "These things are ancient!"

"Yeah." Comet agreed as he joined her. "I didn't think people still stocked these, let alone buy them." It was true old vending machines like this were about as obsolete as shopping malls. Now day's vending machines had flashy buttons and looked higher tech. However, Comet was beginning to see that this place was more old fashion like it was built in the 80's.

"We wanted to look exactly how it did when your Great-great Uncles originally built it." Ollie explained. "Minus the paint job."

"Yeah Stan would have murdered us if he saw this place was now Purple and pink." Pacifica laughed.

"This is Man's cave." Mabel said, mocking an old man's voice. "You just don't mess with a man's cave." She laughed.

The adults joined in, but the twins didn't get the joke.

"Stan was always sensitive about this place." Wendy explained. "Said everything had its own place."

Star smiled.

"Well why don't we show you guys the rest of the house?" Ivan exclaimed as he began to lead them through the door marked "Employees Only" "This just leads to the back of the house." He explained. "There's another entrance that leads into the kitchen. We use that when the shop is closed."

Star and Comet nodded as they followed the rest of the group to begin the tour.

' _Comet.'_

Comet froze as he suddenly felt as if something was calling to him.

' _Comet.'_

He turned, the source was close, but he couldn't pinpoint it.

"Bro?" Star asked as she noticed her brother had stopped. "What is it?"

"Do you-feel that?" He asked. "He almost as if she heard it, but realized it was more like a sensation than actually hearing any spoken words.

"Feel what?" Star asked.

' _Comet.'_

Comet ignored his sister and followed the feeling, it was calling to him, and he felt an unmistakable need to answer it. He stops in front of the old Vending Machine and listens…

' _Comet.'_

"It's coming from here." He said placing his ear to the glass as if trying to get closer.

"The vending machine?" Asked Star. "Bro it's a machine."

"You mean to tell me you don't feel or hear anything?" Comet asked.

Star grew quiet, and tried to listen for something, but there was nothing but the sound of their own breathing. "No." She answered. "Bro are you feeling okay?" She asked.

"I…" Comet struggled for words. "I don't know." He admitted.

"It's a new space." Star assured him. "We'll get used to it."

Comet nodded in agreement. His sister was right, his nerves were probably just overwhelmed.

"Kids?" Aunt Mabel's voice called out to them.

"Coming!" Star shouted grabbing her brother's hand. "Come on I bet the rest of the house is even cooler."

"Technically it's a shack!" Comet said as a matter of fact.

Star gave her brother a playful punch in the arm. "No, it's our home now come on!" She insisted.

Comet allowed his sister to guide him away from the vending machine and towards the unknown.

' _Comet.'_

A chill ran down his back and Comet looked over his shoulder at the machine that seemed to be calling out to him. He couldn't place it, but it was as if the old relic were trying to share a secret. One that he was destined to know, Comet shook his head and forced himself to ignore the feeling.

Never knowing that just under his feet a part of himself that he never knew was reaching out.

Down below locked up in a small hourglass a small star shaped demon with one eye called louder, but the boy never answered. The star shaped demon looked to his companion, a demon that looked like a living blue and gray dream catcher with several eyes. "Why do you not call out to her?" he asked her.

His companion, the dream demon was in her own hourglass her several eyes narrow in thought. "It is too early to call to them." She warned him, her companion the shadow demon, was always far too impatient.

"Father will not be blind forever." The shadow demon warned. "Beside how do we know if we can trust her?"

Of course, the dream demon knew he was referring to Mabel, for twelve years the Human had visited them, telling them why they had to stay hidden. That it was for the safety of their other halves. "She says father is dangerous." She answered him.

"But is he really?" The shadow demon asked. "I mean do you even remember them?"

The dream demon thought for a moment, and flashes of memories greeted her, but none where of their father. "I think I remember Mother." She admitted. "The way he use to hold us, and sing."

"Exactly." The shadow demon said. "All we know about him is what she has told us!"

"It's for our own safety." She assured him.

"So, locking us up like prisoners is for our own safety?" He scoffed.

"She brought them here brother." The dream demon assured him. "Our freedom must be near. They will need us to have the power to face him."

"Then call out to her!" Her brother snapped.

"It's not time." She said once more. "Have faith, we will not be here much longer."

"No, we won't." Her brother agreed. "Because I'm going to make sure we get out of here." He vowed.

And one or another this was a promise he planned to keep.

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes**

Thank you for reading. As always, I ask you to please commit. The next chapter will be posted soon, so until then this is...

-Emily Signing off :)


	7. Settling In

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Ok so I now it's been forever since I updated this series but I kind of hit a creative roadblock for this one. Hopefully, this means the writer's block is gone now and we can get things rolling again. Anyways, as always thanks for reading and Please review!

* * *

 **(Back With The Twins…)**

Well, Star had been right about one thing; the rest of their new home was definitely interesting.

Okay honestly it looked like a glitter rainbow had puked all over the walls, but Comet didn't want to be rude, so interesting was the only word he could think of.

Star on the other hand thought she had stepped into a wonderland of her wildest dreams. "Look at this place." She exclaimed. "I've never seen so much creativity at once." She admitted as she admired a marble statue with a wax head of…

"Is that Larry King?" Comet asked.

"Yep." Mabel admitted.

"Such boldness!" Star praised.

Comet cringed. "It's like he's staring at me." He said, he never could explain it, but disembodied heads always made him feel…uneasy. Star on the other head thought they were funny, especially the screaming Halloween heads at the mall.

"Yeah he's creepy." Mabel admitted. "No matter where I put him, the trash, the back of a closet. It always ends up back here." She laughed. "I think he misses having a body."

Star laughed at the obvious joke.

Comet however rushed away, pushing himself ahead of the group desperate to get away from the source of his uneasiness.

As he did Mabel gave the wax head a cross look. The airhead, what if the twins had seen him hopping around? Sure, she knew sooner or later they'd see something, but for now she wanted them to just focus on their new home. She knew being so close to a place that Dipper once was must be overwhelming to them. Of course, she knew this because it was still overwhelming for her at times.

Finally deciding to leave the wax head to his shenanigans; Mabel led the group up the stairs to their last stop.

"The attic?" Comet asked as they entered the space.

"Yep this is your room kidos." Mabel answered.

"Our?" Star and Comet asked in unison. The two twins had never shared a room in their lives. Even before Tom the two always had their own space.

"Afraid so." Mabel sighed. "Even with the additions Ivan added on this place is still cramped." She explained.

"What about you Aunt Pacifica?" Star asked.

"My place is on the southside of the property." Pacifica explained. "You kids are welcomed to come and go as you like."

The twins look at the small space before them, still unsure. The wooden floor creaked, the walls were covered in splintery wood and fungus.

"I know it's not much." Mabel said. "but your mom and I shared this room." She explained.

Understanding suddenly hit home for Comet. His aunt wanted them to be as close to her as physically possible. "It's perfect." He said surprising his sister; mostly because she was usually the one to pick up on the more sensitive situations.

"Yeah." Star agreed. "Well make do."

Mabel smiled. "Thanks guys." She said. "I know it's not much, but this place holds so many memories." She sighed. "Especially this room."

Star and comet shared a smile, trying once again to imagine their mother in this space. Her and Aunt Mabel staying up late for sleepovers and having pillow fights. It wasn't the same as her being there; they knew that much, but it was close.

As close as they'd ever get.

"Well we'll leave you two to unpack." Mabel said as she and the rest of the adults began to retreat.

The twins watched them go, not making a sound until they were out of sight.

"Well it's not much." Comet admitted once they were out of earshot.

"We can make it work." Star said choosing the bed on the right side of the room. "I might have to leave some of my stuff at mom's though." She realized. "No way all my sweaters are gonna fit in that small closet."

Comet chuckled. "I told you, you had too many." He teased heading over to the second bed.

"No such thing bro, bro." Star countered.

Comet goes to sit down only to notice something moving under the blankets. He yelps and falls to the floor as a beast emerges…

"Oink!" The beast whales.

"And there's a pig on my bed." He sighed.

"Waddles?" Mabel's voice called from downstairs. "Waddles? Where is that pig?"

The pig, Waddles whaled once more before jumping down from the bed and bulldozering out the room and out of sight.

"Well I guess that's Waddles." Comet said with a laugh.

"Hey bro look!" Star exclaimed.

Comet turned to see his sister smiling.

Star held up her hands "look splinters!" She exclaimed.

Comet shook his head. "You get excited over the weirdest things." He told her as he unzipped his suitcase and began to unpack. "How about I take the dresser and you the closet?" He asked. "You know for your sweaters."

Star smiled. "Thanks bro." She said as she began to unpack as well.

Comet pulled out several books and placed them on the desk by the window another desk sat adjacent to Star's bed by the closet. "Well at least we have our own space for homework."

Star laughed. "Speak for yourself."

Comet gave her a weird look.

"What my art supplies has to go somewhere." She reasoned. "I'll do my homework downstairs in the kitchen." She assured him. "But I'm glad to hear you'll be doing yours." She added.

"I made a promise." Comet reasoned.

Star smiled. "You know I really think this move will do us some good." She revealed. "Don't get me wrong, I'll miss mom, but…" She trailed off.

"I know what you mean." Comet said, and he did. Finally, after years of wondering about their real family; he and Star would get some answers.

But would they like what they had to hear?

"Hey Star, do you get the feeling there's something they're not telling us?" Comet asked

"What you mean?"

"I don't know." Comet muttered. "It's just they barely mentioned dad at all. Don't you think that's strange?"

I'm sure Aunt Mabel has her reasons." Star said. "And she promised to tell us everything when we're ready."

"What if I think I'm ready now?" Comet argued "I mean they're our parents don't you think we have the right to know?"

before Star could answer there was a commotion at the window. "What the-?" Star asked.

The twins walked towards the window cautiously; the glass was grainy and old making it really hard to see out of. But as they got closer the two noticed two small silhouettes on the other side…the silhouettes looked like…

"No, it can't be." Comet said.

"No way!" Star exclaimed as she hurriedly opened the window and gasped as two small squirrels jumped inside the room. "They're here!"

Comet couldn't believe it, but there was no denying it! There in front of them sat two squirrels; one with purple eyes and the other red. Yuko, and Magenta had followed them all the way to Oregon!

"This is unbelievable!" Star said. "They really do follow us everywhere!"

A part of Comet wanted to question how two ordinary squirrels could litterly find them anywhere in the world. But shook the thought away at the last minute. As unbelievable as it was; it was nice to have something familiar in the mist of all of their new surroundings.

Star smiled; when they were younger, she had always called Yuko and Magenta their guardian angles. She'd tell everyone that her parents sent them down from heaven to watch over them. And after this; well she couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth in her words. "You think we can keep them in here?" She asked her brother.

Normally Comet would say no; but since there was litterly a pig on his bed just seconds ago he shrugged. "Sure, why not?" he laughed as the two furry friends seemed to jump for joy before jumping up into the rafters above them.

"Works for me." Star laughed as she dumped her second suitcase full of stuff animals on her bed.

Comet finished unpacking his own luggage, deep in thought. "Hey, you think there are some things about them around here?" He asked. "This Shack I mean?"

"Comet! Are you suggesting we snoop around for answers?" Star gasped.

Comet sighed, Star was always the too honest and pure for her own good. "It's not snooping if we live here." He reasoned. "Besides, think about it." He added. "If they aren't telling us everything, then there is something to hide."

Star cringed; she knew where this was going. "He loved us…" Of course, she was talking about their dad. She reasoned. "Aunt Mabel said so."

"Then why did he leave?" Comet challenged. "And how come he isn't here now? In case you didn't notice he didn't die in the fire." He went on. "I mean at least mom has a reason not to be here!" he turned away, determined not to show the fact that he was crying. "Face it Star, he didn't want us, why else would they avoid the subject?"

"You don't know that." Star told him, as she walked over to him, throwing her arms around him. "Maybe he was scared." She reasoned. "I mean mom was young maybe he was too."

Comet had thought of that; still it didn't change the fact that he never once called, or wrote any letters, or tried to check up on them. At least Aunt Mabel tried to stay in touch. So, why didn't he?

"Kids your Friends are here!" Mabel's voice called from downstairs.

"We better go." Star said. "Look we'll talk about this later."

Comet nodded. "I'll be there, just give me a sec."

"Okay." Star answered. She wanted to do more, to say more; but what was here to say? She knew her brother harbored these feelings, mostly because secretly she did too. However, it was worse for Comet somehow, Star guessed it was because he was a boy. Boys were supposed to look to their dads as examples. Sure, their real mom was gone, but at least Star had Ann and now Mabel. All Comet ever had was Tom; and well everyone knew how they felt about each other. Star knew it had everything to do with her brother's behavior, the life-threatening stunts, his suffering grades. It was all a desperate attempt to fill the void inside him. Yes, it was obvious Comet needed a fatherly figure in his life, a real one.

 _'Maybe he'll find someone here.'_ She thought hopefully.

"I'm fine." Comet assured her. "Really."

It was a lie, but Star would pretend to buy it for now. "It's cool bro; this place is just digging up some mixed emotions is all."

Comet nodded, wiping his face with his sleeve. "Yeah; let's go, they're waiting."

Star nodded, and taking the lead walked out of the room.

Comet took another moment to gather himself. It wasn't like him to let his emotions get the better of him. No, usually Star was the one in tears, but then again that was the best thing about having a twin. When one of you were falling about, the other was there to be your shoulder to cry on. Taking one least deep breath Comet raced down the stairs to join his sister; doing his best to push his insecurities out of his mind.

It wasn't easy.

Still he found a smile slipping on his face as he saw Raven, Paris, and Chloe waiting at the bottom of the stairs for him.

"Ready to check out that telescope?" Chloe asked him.

"Yeah." Comet answered with ease. If there was one thing, he was god at, it was putting on a brave face. After all he was the oldest, which meant he had to be the strongest. Besides Star was probably right. Aunt Mabel had her reasons; and eventually they would know the truth.

With that thought fresh on his mind Comet allowed himself to relax and before he knows it, he and the girls are in the tree house looking up at the stars.

Chloe had called it a tree house, but it was more like a tree fort! The structure was held up by six large Pines. And it had everything from a living space, a kitchen and even electricity.

"Wow this is like those tree houses off of that extreme Tree house show." Star exclaimed. "You really could live here!"

"Told you." Chloe said proudly.

"No way you read comics?" Comet asked noticing a shelf full of them.

"There's this big comic convention at the library every summer." Chole explained.

"Really? Sweet." Star said picking up one of the comics.

"Yeah we all pull our money together to buy the limited addition issues." Paris added.

"So, summer?" Comet asked.

"Yeah this town is a tourist trap." Raven explained. "So, it's pretty quiet the rest of the year."

Comet turned his attention back to the telescope and peered through it. "So; nothing excited happens…ever?" He asked as he used the scope to look around town. A very elderly lady was sweeping outside a place called. _'The Greasy Diner?'_

"Not really." Chole answered. "Just your ordinary small town in the middle of nowhere."

"So, there aren't any…" Star paused.

"Any what?" Paris asked.

"You know…monsters." Star whispered.

"Monsters?" Raven asked.

"The bus driver put some nonsense in her head." Comet explained. "Saying there were monsters and imaginary beast here in town." His gaze wondered to the woods as he spoke, which he notices is closed off by a heavy barbwire fence.

"Oh yeah this place is a hot spot for sightings." Chloe admitted. "But I haven't seen anything." She said.

Star sighed, looking relieved.

"Not even in the woods?" Comet asked as he allowed his gaze to wonder along the fence line.

"No one goes in there." Raven said. "It's dangerous."

"So; I can tell." Comet said, referring to the fence. "The question is why?"

"Don't know." Paris said. "Been closed off as long as I can remember."

"Before any of us was born." Chloe concluded.

"All I know is no one goes in." Raven added.

"Good enough for me." Star exclaimed.

 _'Typical Star.'_ Comet thought. She never questioned anything. He on the other hand was not as easily swayed. And even though he had turned over a new leaf; old habits die hard, and Comet could already feel the urge to break this rule.

It wasn't necessarily his fault; the unknown always seemed to have this unbreakable pull on him. The not knowing would drive him crazy until he could do nothing but obsess over it, and then of course the only way to stop the obsession was to find answers.

"Trust me dude." Chloe said. "I've lived here my whole life, ain't nothing in those woods but bears, possums, and racoons."

Comet smiled. "See Star nothing to worry about." He said only to freeze as a figure comes into view. It's gone before Comet can get a good look at it; but he knew one thing for sure.

It wasn't no Coon, and it was too small to be a bear.

No, it looked like…a dwarf with a pointy hat racing through the woods on the other side of the fence.

Comet tried to use the scope to follow it's movements, but it disappeared deeper into the thicket. He shook his head, not sure of what he had scene.

"Problem?" Chloe asked him.

Comet paused as his eyes fell on a sign hanging from the fence.

It read: _NO TRESPASSING: ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!_

And just like that, he was hook. There was just something about the words _'Not allowed.'_ That got under his skin. It was no secret that he was not a fan of rules, if anything he found it more fun to break them then to follow.

"Nope." Comet finally answered; his gaze never leaving the sign. "Ain't no problem at all."

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes**

Thank you for reading. As always, I ask you to please commit. The next chapter will be posted soon, so until then this is...

-Emily Signing off :)


	8. Curiosity

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I Do Not own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** So, this chapter might feel rushed, please let me know. As always thanks for reading, and please enjoy!

* * *

 **(Back with Comet…)**

He tried to get the thought out of his mind.

He really did!

After all the last thing he wanted to do was break his promise so quickly. Still, the more Comet thought about the little man on the other side of the fence the clearer it became.

It wasn't a man at all! With its beard and pointy hat, there was no mistaking what it was.

A Gnome!

But of course, that was impossible Gnomes don't exist. In fact, Comet was sure that he wouldn't have even thought of such a ridiculous conclusion had that bus driver not filled his head with the nonsense. Yes, that had to be it; the monster stories coupled with the poor lighting of the night made him see something that wasn't there.

That had to be it; it was the only plausible answer.

And yet the more he thought about it; the more certain he became.

He saw a little man with a pointed hat and a beard. Which could only mean one of two things. Either a gnome was running around in the woods of Gravity Falls; or some midget dressed as one. Whichever the answer maybe he planned to get to the bottom of it. Which would explain his current dilemma; in order to investigate this seemingly impossible discovery; Comet would have to jump the clearly marked fence.

He'd have to break his promise to his sister.

This was something Comet had never done before.

Sure, he may lie; and cheat; and steal the occasional sports car from Tom, but Comet never broke a promise. He was a man of his word. So, he did his best to put the thought behind him to force himself into believing he hadn't seen what he thought he saw.

A task easier said than done.

And asking his Aunt about it only sparked his curiosity more.

"Comet, I want you to promise me you'll never go into those woods." Aunt Mabel had said rather seriously, which was out of character for her. "It's fenced off for a reason; those woods are dangerous."

But why were they dangerous?

He never got the answer which was unsettling to say the least. Comet hated when he didn't know something; it drove him made until he could do nothing more but obsess over the missing Knowledge. And as their week dragged on, Comet couldn't help but notice other things that just didn't settle right with him.

Star was too oblivious to see it. For once in her life there wasn't a single person who thought she was too loud or weird. She thought she had finally found a place she belonged. A place she fit in, but her magnetic personality had blinded her to the truth.

Comet, however, could see it as plain as day and he noticed it almost immediately.

It had first happened on their second day in town. Chloe had suggested that they all go out to eat at the Greasy Diner for breakfast before school started that morning.

Star was thrilled by the idea; thanks to Tom's rich culture the twins had never step foot in a rundown diner before. Comet hearing that they had the best fries in the state of Oregon; decided to put the claim to the test. So, there they were walking down the street to the diner when Comet noticed it.

The staring: everyone they passed just stopped and stared, some even whispered.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Comet asked.

"Oh, we don't get much visitors outside of the summer months." Chloe answered.

"It's like we're celebrities!" Star exclaimed; waving at everyone. She shouted. "Hi!" to everyone they came across. "lovely weather we're having" and "Oh my gosh I love her shoes!"

Comet, however, couldn't get himself to relax under their gazes. Sure; they smiled as they walked by, but the emotion never touched their eyes. No, all Comet saw there was suspicion. At first, he thought it had to do with his reputation; that somehow the townsfolk had heard he was a prone troublemaker.

That was until he heard it; two little words that were spoken between two officers as they walked by.

"Hey, Blubs aren't those the mix breed?" The Skinny officer said.

"Hush now Deputy." Sheriff Blubs hushed him.

' _Mix breed?'_ Comet was sure he must have heard them wrong. After all, the only thing he could think of that they could be referring to was his race. And even though he didn't know what his father looked like; he felt confident that he was since he and Star both had fair skin. Their parents must both have pretty fair skin as well.

Yes, that was it; he must have heard them wrong. Still, the longer they walked down the street; the more noticeable it became. The towns folk were on edge; and it had something to do with him and his sister. But what?

Why them?

Finally, they made it to the diner where they were immediately seated.

"What will it be?" a very elderly woman with a lazy eyelid asked.

"Could we get the brunch special?" Paris asked.

"Well it's a bit early." The woman said.

"Come on, please Susan?" Raven pleaded. "Comet here really wants to try your fries."

Susan gave Comet a questioning look; and he offered a nervous smile.

Susan faked a laugh. "Ah what the heck anything for a Pines." She said as she headed back towards the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Star asked.

"You mean you don't know?" asked a man in the booth behind them.

The kids turned to see a burly man with a straw hat and a flowery button up shirt. "Why the whole town knows who you are." He went on. "You two are famous."

"But why?" Comet had asked.

"Why on the account of your parents of course." The man went on. "This town was never the same after…well…you know." He whispered.

And that was the problem. He didn't know.

And it suddenly became very clear to him that everyone else did.

However, before he or Star could press him further Gideon appeared from what seemed out of nowhere and whacked him on the head with a rolled-up newspaper. "Daddy how many times have I told you no more gossiping." He lectured before looking at the twins. "These nice children don't want to hear any of that."

"But we do!" Comet had insisted.

"Yeah what happened with our parents?" Star asked.

Then Gideon said something that made Chloe's eyes widen.

"Now never mind all that." Then seeing how the twins weren't going to drop it he grabbed his father by the arm and looked to his watch. "Oh, my stars look at the time." He said. "Daddy we'll have to take ours to go."

Buddy nodded wearily. "Yes, can't afford to be late." He agreed.

And just like that they were out the door.

"What was that all about?" He asked Chloe.

"I don't know." Chloe said looking nervous.

"You know something." Comet challenged.

Chloe sighed. "look all I know is what we heard from when we ease-dropping on my mom once." She revealed. "Apparently something big went down 12 years ago."

"What?" Star asked.

"That's just it." Raven said. "Every time someone tries to ask or talk about it, the other always says…"

"Never mind all that." Paris concluded.

"But what does it have to do with our parents" Star asked.

"And why all the secrecy?" Comet added.

"You know as much as we do." Chole told him with a shrug.

"Well whatever it is Aunt Mabel will tell us when we're ready." Star said. "Like she promised. And we're going to give her a chance to, Right Comet?"

Comet didn't answer right away.

"Right Comet?" Star asked more forcefully.

"Right." He muttered as their food arrived.

"Five brunch specials hot and ready." Susan cheered.

Needless to say, Comet was no longer hungry. Star, however, went on with breakfast like nothing had transpired. That was Star, always trusting; always expecting the good out of everyone.

But Comet, couldn't let it go, and aimed to ask Aunt Mabel about it the moment they got back to the shack.

He would never get those answers however, for the moment they got back he noticed Gideon and his father were in a heated discussion with their Aunt outside. He hid around the corner of the Shack to listen.

"Bud are you crazy?" Aunt Mabel hissed lowly. "We had an agreement."

Star moves to greet them when Comet grabs her arm. "Bro?" She asked.

"Shhh." Comet warned.

"I know we agreed." Bud said. "But they looked so desperate to know." He sighed. "I couldn't help myself."

"But we are doing this to protect them." Mabel went on.

That was all Star needed to hear, she pulled her arm from her brother's hold. "See she's doing it for our own good." She reasoned, "Now stop."

"Star no!" Comet hissed, but it was too late.

Star stepped out of the shadows and said, "We're back, Right bro?"

Comet stomped his foot, grumbling. Yep that was Star, always trusting; anyways believing. "Yeah." He muttered coming out of hiding.

"Was there something you wanted to ask me?" Mabel said looking unsure.

"Was there something you wanted to say?" Comet retorted.

"Comet!" Star warned.

Mabel sighed and bend down, placing an arm on his shoulder. "You know I love you." She whispered to him.

Comet sighed. "I know."

"Then know I do this because I don't want to see you get hurt." She reasoned.

"But our parents-" Comet began.

"Somethings are better left in the dark." Mabel told them. "When you're ready I'll tell you everything, but for now all you need to know is they loved you."

Comet wanted to say more; he wanted to argue; but remembering his promise he gave in. "Okay." He said. "I trust you."

And he did, he really did trust his Aunt, but as the days dragged on, he couldn't help but feel it.

The woods were calling him, everyday he'd go up to the tree house and watch them through the telescope. But no matter how hard he looked he never saw that little man again. Still, he couldn't help but feel that all his answers were right in front of him.

He knew this because when Mabel warned him about the woods, she was very serious like just looking at them was life threatening. And she wore the same expression during their conversation about his parents after they returned from the Diner. Yes, somehow his parents and those woods were related. And once he came to that conclusion, he couldn't get the idea out of his head.

The idea that all his answers were on the other side of that fence, inside the woods.

If he went in there; he'd find what he was looking for. He was sure of it!

So, the only question was: Would he go through with it?

Of course not, he had made a promise after all.

And Comet Pines never broke a promise; he'd never betray his sister's trust.

However, his resolve grew weaker as the days dragged on until it was driving him crazy. Until he was dreaming about it.

He'd always get so close to actually doing it; in his dreams he'd run out the shack and towards the trees in a blur. He' hop the fence, see the birch trees surrounding him. Their bark looking as if they were covered in eyes.

And then those eyes would open. And he'd see thousands of golden slits staring back at him.

The next thing he'd remember is waking up in a cold sweat.

He never understood the dream, or why it made him feel so afraid, but the fear did nothing to deter him.

Finally, early Monday morning after waking up from yet another startling nightmare he had made up his mind.

He was jumping that fence, tonight!

* * *

 **Chapter End Notes**

Thank you for reading. As always, I ask you to please commit. The next chapter will be posted soon, so until then this is...

-Emily Signing off :)


	9. First Day Of School

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** As always thanks for reading and Please review!

 _To my Guest reader; Shellyseadragon:_ That's for letting me know that one character, The New Pine Tree: Tim was missing. Good eye. I actually forgot to mention he was away at college in the chapter "Welcome to Gravity Falls", So I added it there.

Thank you.

* * *

 **(Back with Star…)**

She was never a fan of starting over…

Yes, Star had a magnetic personality, but most turn and ran the other way the moment they got to know her beyond the first five minutes. Needless to say, this made her first days for everything a mixture of hope and unwanted anxiety.

For example, on her first day of kick boxing she was so nervous she threw up all over her first sparing opponent. The guy, who Star had thought was really cute was less than pleased with the ordeal. She was so embarrassed she refused to return to the class, but with a great deal of encouragement mostly from Comet; she did.

But the damage had already been done; and from that day on whenever she went to spare her peers would laugh and make puking sounds.

There were other examples, but Star pushed them all to the back of her mind as she and her brother walked through the front doors of Gravity Falls Middle School for the first time. _'That's right.'_ She reminded herself. This first day would be different because this time she already had friends to rely on.

Comet gave his sister an encouraging smile; even though his thoughts were elsewhere.

Star could tell he was distracted but decided that she had done enough nagging about the subject. She knew how Comet was; and too much nagging seemed to only to push him to do the one thing she was trying to keep him from doing in the first place.

"This is the main hall." Paris said, deciding to give the twins as much as a tour as she could while on the way to the main office. "And there's the library." She added pointing to a large room with two glass doors.

"Wow this place is much smaller than our school back home." Comet reported.

"Yeah and I thought that place was tinny." Star agreed happy to see her brother engaging for the first time. Ever since his argument with Aunt Mabel he seemed to have his thoughts in the clouds. She couldn't even begin to think about what he was thinking, but she knew it had something with their parents.

Star shook her head once more, jarring the thought from her mind. It wasn't that she wasn't curious. Oh no she was just interested in the subject as Comet, perhaps even more so. But thinking about their parents made her sad. Mostly due the overwhelming fact that they knew little to nothing about them.

When she thought of them, she came up with nothing! No memory whether happy or sad entered her mind. And such realizations did nothing but remind her of the big hole in her heart where her parents should be. So, in order to numb herself from the emptiness she did the only thing she knew how to do.

She tried to fill that hole with new friends; by being as bubble and outgoing as possible; and it worked…for a time. But sooner or later the questions would start to emerge from the back of her mind.

' _Why did they give us up?'_

' _Was it really for the best? Or Did they simply not want us?'_

And did she really want to know the answers to these questions? Could she handle what the truth would reveal? She would like to think so, but deep down she knew the truth would sting a little if not be downright painful. Why else would Aunt Mabel keep it from them? It had to be something awful if she wasn't telling them everything.

Star wasn't as blind as she often pretended to be. She could see the sadness in her Aunt's eyes whenever the subject of their parents had come up. Whatever it was, it had to be something that Mabel herself hadn't come to terms with. She knew Comet wouldn't notice that; it wasn't that her brother was heartless; he just got distracted easily.

He need for answers would often left him inadvertently hurting others. For example, when they were very young the twins had no idea, they were adopted. They knew Tom wasn't their real father, but for the longest time they always thought Ann was their mother. That was until a family tree project in the third grade got Comet thinking. Needless to say; it didn't take much digging for him to realize something wasn't right.

And when he found the adoption papers, he was so caught up in his discovery he told Star; without even stopping to consider how she would feel. The news had caught her off guard; she remembered crying, screaming that he was wrong, demanding that Ann tell him that he was mistaking.

He wasn't, and it was obvious Ann was not ready to have that conversation.

Comet however, never noticed; his need for answers was just that strong.

And Star knew that same drive would willed similar results, she also knew she could do nothing to stop him. Once Comet set his mind to do something, he did it, regardless of the consequences.

It was just who he was as a person.

"And here's the front office." Paris declared as they finally made it to their destination.

Since it was their first day, the twins had to arrive at the front office to receive their schedules before the first bell. The group walked into the office expectantly.

Comet had seen the front office of their school many of times thanks to his trips to the principal's office. _'This time will be different.'_ He reminded himself of his promise.

A promise he was still plotting to break even as the thought entered his mind.

Or was he?

Sure, the sign on the fence said Keep out; but as long as Comet didn't get caught then he wasn't really causing trouble?

Right?

Right! He decided as they walked up to the front desk to see an elderly woman. Her name tag said Janice; and her long silver hair was up in a neat bun that complemented her brown dress suit.

"Awe The Pine twins." She said looking insightful. "I was wondering when I would see you this morning." She opened up a filing cabinet, searching or something. "Now where is it?" She asked herself. "I know I left it somewhere." She looked thoughtful. "Yes, here they are." She pulled out two pieces of paper and handed one to each twin. "Now per your Aunt's request I tried to get you in as many of the same classes as possible." She explained. "We don't usually take request but considering the circumstances I pulled a few strings."

"Circumstances?" Comet asked inquisitively.

Star however took a kinder approach, "Thank you Janice." She said sweetly.

"Now before you go the principal would like to speak with you." She looked at Comet as she said this.

Comet sighed; he had expected this might happen.

As did Star. "We'll wait out here for you." She told him.

Comet nodded and approached the door behind the front desk. He knocked once and waited.

"Come in." A voice said.

Comet took a deep breath and opened the door.

The office looked like any other Principal's office, walls decorated with degrees and awards with a large oak desk in the center.

A tall man with an over enthusiastic smile greeted him. "Comet Pines, please come in, come in." He insisted.

Comet looked down at the desk to see the name plate. "Mr. Strange?" He said in disbelief.

"Yep Tad Strange is the name." Tad said. "And Being Normal is my game." He laughed as if he just said a joke.

Comet smiled uneasily for a guy who claimed to be normal he sure seemed weird to him.

"But enough about me." Tad said pulling out a large folder full of papers. He opened it and sat down. "Let's talk about you." He insisted. "Please sit."

Comet sat down and Tad presented him with the folder which turned out to be his school records.

"Now I can see you've had a rocky disciplinary history." Tad said a bit too upbeat. "But I just want you to know we don't focus on the past here." He paused as if wanting Comet to say something.

"Okay." Comet managed.

"Yes, here at Gravity Falls Middle school we strive towards a brighter future. So, I ask you Mr. Pines, Can you leave this past behavior behind you?"

"Yes?" Comet said, it sounded more like a question than an answer, but Tad accepted it none the less.

"Great!" He exclaimed taking the folder back. "Then get out there and be all that you can be!" He ordered.

Comet still rather confused by the whole ordeal got up from his seat and headed for the door.

"And Comet." Tad added.

"Yes?" Comet asked.

"Welcome to Gravity Falls; I'm expect great things from you." His smile widen.

"Uh thanks." Comet managed before rushing out the door.

"So, how'd it go?" Star asked.

Comet blinked; unsure. "Good…I guess?" he shrugged trying to shake off the feeling of unease Tad just gave him. "Say Chloe is Mr. Strange always…"

"So upbeat?" Chloe finished.

Comet nodded not really ready to speak.

"Yeah he is." Chloe answered as they made their way out of the front office. "Most don't notice, but I can see how some people might find it unsettling."

"No, Comet's just use to being yelled out." Star concluded. "Mr. Strange probably just wanted to try a more positive approach. Right Bro?"

"Yeah." Comet agreed a bit too quickly. "That must be it." But even as he said it, he wasn't convinced.

" _I'm expect great things from you."_

What did he mean by that?

He remembered how Mr. Gideon had said both his parents were geniuses and wondered if that was perhaps what Tad was referring to. And just like that his mind was back on the pervious subject. Was he really going to hop the fence tonight?

He knew he'd have to decide soon; it was already the end of August and he knew next month hurricane season would begin. Form what he read Oregon didn't get it as bad as he was used to in Florida, but regardless of the severity he knew many rainy days were ahead.

And traveling around in forbidden territory in the rain was not ideal.

So, if was going to do it; he'd have to do it soon.

"So, who's your first class with?" Raven asked finally looking up from her phone.

"Mr. Winston." Star said reading her schedule.

"Math." Comet finished for her.

"Great my least favorite class." Star said sounding discouraged.

"Hey at least you get it out of the way first thing." Comet encouraged her.

"Yeah it could be worse." Chloe added. "You could have it at the end of the day, like me."

"That does sound worse." Star said, feeling a bit better.

"Well I have science first." Chloe said. " Be seeing you." She said, heading in the opposite direction.

"Raven?" Star asked hopefully.

"Art Class." Raven answered as she branched off as well.

"It's okay." Paris reassured them. "I have science with Mrs. Bird, we're in the same hall."

"Great!" Star said as Paris lead the way.

The first bell had rung, and several other students were rushing past them trying not to be late.

Paris led the twins quickly through their peers and guided them to their destination. "Here you are." She said. "I'm right there if you want to wait for me after the bell." She pointed to a door across the hall.

Comet nodded. "K thanks." He said.

Paris smiled and took her leave.

"You ready for this?" Comet asked her.

Star puffed out her chest and put on a brave face. "Let's do this."

Comet smiled, and as always took the lead stepping through the door with his sister by his side.

The tardy bell rang, and Mr. Winston; a tan man with a bald head and red mustache stood in front of the class. "Everyone." He said grabbing their attention. "Please welcome the newest additions to our class Comet and Star Pines."

Comet and Star stood awkwardly in front of the class as their peers greeted them. It felt odd to Comet that everyone seemed to already know his name, but he figured in a small town like this it was to be expected.

"Go ahead and pick an empty seat." Mr. Winston said.

For a moment Comet considers sitting in his usual place in the back, but Star dashes that dream in an instance.

"I don't think so Mr." She said grabbing him by the arm and guiding him to two seats in the second-row desk. "Remember you promised." She said as they sat down.

Right he promised to do better this time.

Still as Mr. Winston begun his lesson Comet couldn't help but allow his eyes to linger out the class window towards the woods.

It would seem old habits die hard.

' _I know I can do it.'_ He reasoned to himself. _'The answers are there.'_ He just knew it. _'Just go in look around and get out. Star never had to know.'_ He looked to his sister, who was already taking notes.

She was fine with not knowing, Comet could see that. However, he wasn't, and he never would be.

His eyes narrowed as he became more confident in his previous decision. He was going, tonight, and he would find his answers.

And if it turned out there was no answers to find beyond that fence then he could accept that. Either way he couldn't see this decision backfiring on him in any way possible.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

* * *

 ** _-To Be Continued_**


	10. Into The Woods

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Sorry for taking this down and reposting this so many times, I lost the 10th chapter and labeled the 11th chapter number 10 by mistake. Thankfully I found it! We're almost to the action everyone.

As always thanks for reading and please review!

* * *

 **(Back with Comet…)**

The rest of the day had been a blur.

Comet yawned loudly trying to be as dramatic as possible. Currently he was having dinner with his sister and their friends. After school Pacifica had surprised them with a seven course dinner in celebration for completing their first day of school.

At the moment they were sitting in her large dining room discussing what they had done that day.

"And all the teachers are really nice." Star was saying.

Mabel looks to Comet concerned. "You okay Kido?" She asked.

"Yeah just very tiered." Comet said, yawning again. He was trying to get this over with as soon as possible. It wasn't that he wasn't enjoying the meal, or the fact that Chole had chosed to sit beside him, he just knew that after dinner he'd be able to make his move.

All day he had obsessed over how he would do it, and what he do once he made it to the other side of that fence. What would he see there? Perhaps the Gnome? Part of him wanted to think logically, saying that he never saw a gnome at all. It had just been his eyes playing tricks on him in the night. Still, even knowing that knowledge did little to deter him from what he was about to do.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Paris suddenly cut in. "The school play is coming up soon and we still have a few casting slots that need to be filled." She looked to Star as she spoke. "You should try for the lead role I think you'd make a great Alice."

"Oh, I remember when we were performed Alice in Wonderland." Mabel said blissfully. "Of course, Pacifica stole the lead role." She said pretending to be bitter.

"Naturally." Pacifica said with a wink.

"I didn't know you were in drama." Star exclaimed.

"You should try out." Mabel encouraged her. "It's lots of fun, and it will give you something to do after school."

"We even perform in the summer months." Paris revealed.

Star's smile fell and she looks unsure. "Uh…well maybe." She said, not sounding so convincing.

Comet rolled his eyes, Star loved the arts, but was never confident to go on stage and perform. Even with her bubbling personality she cared too much about what people thought to go through with it. She always feared she'd mess up or embarrass herself in front of everyone.

Paris, sensing her distress places a hand on her arm. "We will be with you 100% of the way." She assured her.

Raven looked up from her phone nodding her agreement. "Plus, the Drama Teacher, Mrs. Cook, orders Pizza for after school rehearsal every day."

"An endless pizza party does sound cool." Star admitted.

"Yeah Drama club is like a family." Chloe assured her. "We stick together and crush all those who would dare laugh at our art form!" She exclaimed dramatically.

The girls laughed.

"You do drama?" Comet asked her.

"I'm not a full member." Chole explained. "My family participates in the lumberjack games every spring, so I spend a lot of time preparing for those. But my mom wants me to have the "Full Highschool experience" So I fit in what I can. You should join dude it's a lot of fun."

Now it was Comet's turn to look unsure. "Uh?"

"Oh, come on, guys never want to join." Chloe complained.

"Plus, if we all join think of all the fun we'll have." Paris added, looking to Star hopefully.

"I'll do it if Comet does." Star finally decided.

Comet resisted another roll of his eyes as everyone looked to him. Star always did this, forcing him to make the decision for both of them. Of course, he knew that was only part of it. He could tell she could see him slipping. His old life of mischief and troublemaking was stating to call out to him. So, naturally she decided to help. Comet loved his sister dearly, but he hated it when she meddled like this.

"How about it Comet?" Mabel asked. "Interested in finding your inner thespian?" No doubt she was looking for a reason to keep him distracted so he'd stop asking so many questions.

He wanted to say no, that acting wasn't really his thing, but he knew Star really wanted to; she was just scared to do it without him. He smiled. "Yeah sure okay."

Star's smile of relief assured him he had made the right choice. He yawned again.

Aunt Mabel finally took the bait. "Well kid's it getting late, and you have school again tomorrow." She reminded them.

"Night guys." Star said to their friends. "See you in the morning."

"Night." Paris smiled.

"Night." Raven waved not looking up from her phone. She sees a text from her parents. "Mom says she'll pick us up and drop Chloe and Paris off." They could walk, after all they all lived on the same land, but Candy was always afraid they'd get hurt if they walked in the dark. Of course due to their crazy schedules their parents could not join in the festivities.

"Perfect." Mabel said as she began to help Pacifica gather plates.

"It's moments like this I miss being rich." Pacifica joked. Of course, she had told the twins that her parents practically owned the town and were the riches people here. She also revealed that they had disowned her at the age of 12 which is why she moved in with Mabel.

However, when she turned 21 Pacifica was surprised to find her parents had left her a trust fund in her name. Money that she used to start their business at the Fashion Shack and build her beautiful home, but that didn't mean her parents had welcomed her back into the family.

Comet knew the feeling, as much as he hated Tom, he was starting to miss the luxurious life style they had with him. "See you tomorrow Chole." He said as he and Star left the dining room and headed for the front door.

"Ohhhh only saying good night to Chloe hu?" His sister teased.

Comet blushed; his sister could always see right through his crushes. "Don't, please Star." He begged. His sister was always trying to play matchmaker for him, and needless to say it never ended well.

Like that one time in third grade she made a valentine and gave it to a girl he like pretending it was from him. The girl was disgusted and showed her older brother who read it out loud to his buddies at recess.

Comet was so embarrassed he refused to go to school for a week and Star couldn't stop apologizing. Even though he insisted it wasn't her fault, he understood she had the best intention and that she was only trying to help.

Thankfully, Star had learned that not everything needed her "Helping hand."

"Look all I'm saying is you should tell her." Star said as they entered the shack and made their way up the stairs towards the attic.

"I'm not sure." Comet admitted. "I mean I know I like her, but do I Like her, like her." He wondered out loud.

"trust me bro, bro I get it." She said before going into the upstairs restroom to change for bed.

"You're kidding right?" Comet asked from the other side of the door. "You fall in love every day sis." He reminded her.

It was true, Star had no problem figuring out she was in love. Falling in love easy, getting the object of her affection to reciprocate those feeling, now that was another story.

"Jerk." Star shoved him playfully as she opened the door.

He laughed. "look you'll be the first to know the moment I figure it out." He assured her as they went to their room.

Star smiled, beginning to set aside her stuff animals as she got ready for bed.

Comet took this moment to dive into bed so she wouldn't realize he hadn't changed into his pj's.

"Good night bro." Star smiled as she tucked herself in bed.

"Good night Star." Comet said before rolling over hoping his sister would fall for his sleeping ruse.

Sure, enough moments later he could hear her snoring softly. Comet smiled his sister always said that girls don't snore, if he didn't have other plans, he'd take this chance to record it for evidence. "Star?" He whispered. He waited but when his sister didn't stir from her slumber, he decided it was now or never.

Comet slipped out of bed and pulled on his shoes before grabbing a flashlight and heading out the attic door. The house was dark and quiet, so Comet figured his Aunt was either still at Pacifica's or in her room watching TV. So, he creeped down the creaky stairs as quietly as possible just in case. He stops as he gets close to the bottom, noticing someone in the Kitchen.

It was Aunt Mabel on the phone. "Tim it's been too long." She said. "How's classes?"

Tim? Comet vaguely remembered that Ollie and Ben said their adopted brother was named Tim and he was off at college; that must be who she was talking to. Holding his breath Comet stepped lightly from the stairs and race to the front door bolting through it and outside as quietly as possible. He hugged the side of the house once he was outside waiting to be sure he hadn't been spotted.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, he began to move towards the treelined. He stopped to hide behind anything could as he went, His aunt's car, the Fashion Shack Sign, and even a fallen log that looked straggly like a totem pole that had been knocked over (it was hard to tell in the dark.) Then he was at the fence he shined his light, quickly looking for a way in before he was spotted when he noticed it.

The barbed wire!

He had noticed it before, but the sighting of the little man had forced it out of his mind. How could he have forgotten such an important detail. Still, there was no way he was climbing that. He was about to turn around and give up when he saw a shadow rub by.

"Hey!" He shined his light and it landed on the small man from earlier. "You!" He shouted.

The man yelped and ran out of sight alongside the fence.

Comet followed but by the time he catches up the creature was already on the other side. He looked around questioningly, walking back alongside the fence searching for a way in and soon he finds it! A hole was made where a piece of the fence had curled up. It wasn't very big, but Comet was sure he'd fit. So, without much thought he got down on his belly and began to arm crawl through. For a moment he fears he'll get stuck halfway through.

Now wouldn't that be a sight?

He could already hear the lecture from his Aunt Mabel and see the look of betrayal on his sister's face, but as soon as the fear settles in it fades as he pulls himself the rest of the way through. He looked around for the small man but was greeted with only an eerie silence. Despite the fact that every instinct told him to run back home Comet forced himself into the unknown.

It's a mistake he will soon learn to regret.

* * *

 **(Back in the Nightmare Realm…)**

He hated the waiting; it was perhaps the worst thing about his existence. Never being able to do anything until he was summoned.

But could he even be summoned? The longer Bill went in this void the more he begun to think that his enemies had made it so. He knew they would try to erase every bit of his existence form the earth in hopes that it will stop him from escaping. Still, Dipper's nervousness had grown as the days went on encouraging him that there must be at least one way for him to get back.

And one person stupid enough to call upon him.

He could feel that person now, thanks to his mates growing anxiety he was forgetting to block him. Usually when Dipper checked in on the real world, he blocked Bill from feeling what he was feeling, keeping the dream demon blind to the events outside of their prison. However, ever since the other day Dipper was so distracted with whatever it was that he forgot to keep Bill out of the loop.

It was strange to Bill, this person that had Dipper so worked up, it reminded him of someone, but he couldn't place who. He would sit around for hours trying to guess who it was, but no one person came to mind. He was smart and intelligent like Sixer, yet he also had the tendency to slack off like his brother Stan. He was creative like Shooting Star, and adventures like Dipper with a sense of wonder that no one could rival. Of, Course this confused Bill greatly because he didn't know anyone who had all these traits, and yet this boy…he felt…familiar to him.

He was tempted to just ask Dipper about it, but he didn't want him to start closing him off again. And he desperately didn't want that to happen; and not for reasons one would think. This person, he gave him emotions he hadn't felt since…since the twins were killed by Teeth. Yes, that was it, the last time he felt this feeling was then. Back when, for brief moment he and Dipper were happy, and the kid was actually debating on whether he should fight him at all.

Back when the multiverse was his, where the party never stopped, and everyone was forced to adore him or perish!

Still, knowing this did little to help him figure out who he was dealing with. Sure, some might see this as a small detail, but by knowing this he would increase his chances of success. This was why Bill would watch his enemies sometimes for years without making a move. Knowing them allowed him to manipulate them with ease. It allowed him to control every aspect of his plan including his pawn, which was the most unpredictable part.

Bill sighed perhaps he could try to get something out of Pine Tree without him knowing it. He was distracted so perhaps…"It just my work." He decided as he floated over to him.

"He knows something." Dipper whispered panicking. "He's up to something I just know it."

"Sire he's always up to something." Shinigami assured him. In order to have something to report to Bill he would often suck up to his queen as often as he could.

Of course, Dipper knew everyone was out here to destroy him, not a single one of the demons were rally on his side, but he welcomed the company when it came. Sure, he could talk to Light, but talking to yourself all the time was considered unhealthy. Mostly because it drives you crazy.

"Pine Tree." Bill exclaimed as happy and as Chipper as possible.

His voice reminded Dipper of a siren's call, sweet and inviting, but also deadly. "What do you want?"

"Just check up on you." Bill mused. "The boys have to notice you know." He warned. "You wouldn't want your minions to rise up against you, now would you?"

"What would you care?" Dipper challenged.

"Kid you're the strongest one here, if they over throw you they aren't going to listen to the weakest one here." Bill pointed out.

As logical as that sounded, Dipper knew better then to get distracted with the details. He turns away.

"Come on kid I can help." He reasoned. "Don't forget I was once in your shoes, ruler of the Nightmare Realm, whatever is bothering you-"

"Whatever is bothering me is none of your concern!" Dipper yelled a bit too loudly.

Everyone stopped to stare at them.

"What are you all looking at!" Dipper was fuming.

The rest of the demons scattered ann but Bill, the constant thorn in his side.

Bill laughed, he forgot how much fun it was to pester the kid. "Wow someone is losing it." He teased.

"I am not…!" Dipper began only to stop as he realized what Bill was doing. "He forced himself to calm down. "Trying to get me angry so I'll slip up?" He scoffed. "That's your oldest trick."

Bill shrugged worth a shot, and it was. For just a brief moment he had caught a glimpse of the boy in question. With short brown hair, a hat, and chocolate brown eyes he looked a lot like…"Pine Tree." He whispered.

Their eyes met, and for a moment Dipper fears he'd figured it out.

But if Bill knows anything, he says nothing at all.

Instead he floats away deep in thought.

Dipper debates on going after him but decides to let him be for now while he handled some damage control.

Big mistake!

Bill smiled. "So, Shooting Star has a kid now?" He whispered to himself mistaken him for her's. "Guess that makes me an uncle." He chuckled at the thought.

"You'd the think the Pines family would learn." He thought out loud, but it would appear they never would.

He sat back; his face curved into a smile.

"Why so relaxed boss?" Hector asked.

"Things are looking up buddy." He told him. "I'm about to be out of this dump."

"Really how'd you know?" Keyhole asked as he joined them.

Bill just smiled. "Call it a hunch…"

* * *

 ** _-To Be Continued_**


	11. The Summoning

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** As always thanks for reading and Please review!

* * *

 **(Back with Comet…)**

He hadn't expected the woods to be so dark and ominous. He also hadn't expected to actually run into anyone.

"Turn back…" a voice whispered in the wind. "Turn back…."

"Who's there?" Comet demanded as he looked around.

No one answers him, so he moves to press on.

"I said turn back!" a tinny man with a pointy red hat screamed as he jumped out at him.

Of course, this causes Comet to scream as well. "Aahhhh!"

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" the little man screams back.

They scream back and forth like this for several minutes until finally they slowly die down.

Comet gasped for breath as he observed this creature before him. He was standing in front of a Gnome! He didn't know whether to be overjoyed that he was right, or completely terrified.

"We cool?" The Gnome asked. He had mostly brown hair, but it was beginning to turn gray in some areas.

Comic nodded still in disbelief. Maybe he wasn't seeing this, maybe he had slipped and hit his head and was actually unconscious in the forest floor. Yeah that seemed more logical.

"Look kid you're not supposed to be in here." The Gnome said.

"Why?" Comet challenged suddenly finding his voice. He shinned the flashlight down on the gnome as if he were in a police interrogation room. "Why are the woods fenced off, are there more like you?" He questioned. "Are there monsters in these woods?!" He added remembering what the bus driver had said.

"What?" The Gnome gasped. "Who told you that?"

"He know too much!" Another gnome exclaimed as he jumped out from the bushes. "Attack!"

Suddenly the forest came alive as several gnomes jumped out at him.

Comet ducks and dives out of the way before taking off deeper into the woods.

"Seriously guys?" The brown headed Gnome shook his head. "I was this close to getting him to turn back." He reasoned.

"No, you weren't Jeff." another Gnome said.

"Can it Kyle!" Jeff ordered. "In case you guys forgotten Mabel put us in charge of making sure no one gets in here."

The gnomes began to mutter to each other at the mentioning of her name.

Comet who had stopped running after he noticed he wasn't being followed had doubled back to see what was going on. He gasped as he realized what he had just heard. His Aunt Mabel had told these creatures to keep people out? But why?

" _It's fenced off for a reason; those woods are dangerous."_

Comet back away slowly only to yelp as he trips over a dug up root causing him to fall backwards before rolling down a steep hill.

He continued to roll for several seconds before he reached the bottom. Groaning he got up and looked around. He couldn't see anything that looked even remotely familiar, he wasn't even sure which direction he had rolled from since it felt like he his world had been spinning the entire time.

In short, he was lost worst still he had dropped his flashlight during the fall so he couldn't see much of anything. Heck he could barely see his own hands, the forest loomed around him as dark shadowy shapes.

A harsh wind suddenly cut through him and Comet shivered. If he didn't get home soon, he would surely catch a cold. Still, he didn't know where to go.

"Hey Gnomes!" He shouted. "I could use some help."

Something squawked with in the trees and Comet yelped.

The bushes began to rustle all around him as it sounded like something was getting closer and closer and…

Comet was about to scream as something came out from those shrubs, that was until he noticed who it was. "Magenta you found me!" Comet exclaimed feeling relieved. He stopped as he noticed it was pushing something along with it with her head. "My flashlight!" He grabbed it amazed. He was seriously beginning to think these squirrels were genetically altered in some lab or something. "Do you know the way home?" He asked her hopefully.

Magenta looked around as if thinking about it but made no move to show him the way.

"Seriously?" He asked. It was as if her only trick was knowing how to find him. He shrugged and looked around. "Maybe it will be easy to find a way out in the morning." He said out loud. Sure, he knew he'd get in a lot of trouble if his bed was found empty at daylight, but he knew it wasn't wise to keep moving around at night.

Especially when he was in the middle of what possibly could be monster invested woods.

"You see anything that could be shelter?" Comet asked as he braced himself against the wind as it cut through him again.

Magenta paused and then began to jump up and down as if excited.

"Really?" Comet was relieved. "Show me."

The squirrel raced off ahead but stayed just in sight of Comet as she led him in the direction, she had come from moments before.

Comet followed and soon they had arrive at a cave. "You sure it's safe?" He asked remembering how monsters love to make their homes out of caves.

Magenta seemed to usher him forward with her tail and desperate to get out of the cold, he followed.

The cave was spooky and damp, but as Comet shined his flashlight around, he was relieved to see that it was at least monster free. He stopped as the light landed on something.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed. It was a cave drawing of natives bowing before a large triangle like being. Around the drawing were several incantations. He wish Star were here to see this, she loved old art like this. He looked more closely at the writing and to his amazement he knew what it said. "A being with answers." He whispered, only recognizing some of the words. How he knew any of them perplexed him greatly, but he was sure that he was indeed reading it.

' _A being with answers, as in all answers?'_ He wondered. Maybe it could tell him who his father was? Why he left? Why he didn't love him? What Mabel was hiding from them?

Magenta began to pull on his pant leg with her teeth, whining softly. As if urging him to move away from this place.

"Do not…read…out loud." He continued to translate ignoring her. He struggled with the next set of words before uttering; "Triangulum, entangulum. Vene foris dominus mentium. Vene foris videntis omnium!"

* * *

 **(Back with Bill…)**

He knew exactly what was going on when he felt it, and his eye curved into a mischievous smile.

"Boss what's happening?" 8Ball exclaimed as his triangle form began to glow.

Dipper eye widens as he too feels the change in him. "Bill!" He shouts diving for him.

Bill laughs openly. "Too Late!" He declares and disappears just as Dipper reaches for him.

* * *

 **(Back with Comet…)**

Comet doubled over, arms over his stomach. After making a few weird choking, bleating noises, he

fell onto his knees and raised his arms. His eyes lost their pupils and turned pure blue as he yelled,

"Egassem sdrawkcab. Egassem sdrawkcab. Egassem sdrawkcab! Egassem sdrawkcab! Egassem sdrawkcab!"

As he chanted, the world slowed down. The life and color seemed to drain out of everything as the world dimmed to hues of gray and everything–from the smallest, buzzing insect to Magenta, froze in place. Comet who had regain control of himself shock as a black triangle appeared in front of him. It grew larger and larger as the infinite universe spread out within its triangular shape. Comet's flashlight flickered on and off at its presence. Then, a large, white eye with a slit pupil opened in the center. A bone chilling cackle echoed through the forest.

The triangle shuttered and morphed as a top hat and a thin pair of arms and legs popped out of the being. The universe fell away, replaced by inky blackness. A few lines of white-lined bricks interrupted by a white bowtie filled in the triangle. "OH! OH! GRAVITY FALLS!" His voice was high pitched, and it echoed a bit, as if he were speaking in two very similar voices and his words were hardly milliseconds apart. He swooped down so that he was in front of Comet, floating high enough to be just out of reach. As he stopped to a hover, his body turned yellow with darker yellow brick lines and a black bowtie. As he spoke, his body glowed in a restricted series of pale yellow lights and intensities. "IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK!"

And it was!

Finally, after 12 years he was back in business and he had this small boy before him to thank.

Comet looked at this strange creature before him in amazement. "What are you?" He asked. "Some kind of floating Dorito?"

Bill turned red with anger at those words, he did not just call him that!

Comet shrinks back as the creature goes red, but it's back to yellow in nearly an instant. "Sorry I didn't mean to insult you…"

"No need Kid." The creature assured him. "Names Bill Cipher God of the multiverse!" He declared.

"God?" Comet asked. "You're pretty tinny for a god." He pointed out.

Bill turns red a second time. Seriously, did this kid just insult him again? After he just apologized! "Look kid if you just summoned me to insult my greatness I will gladly leave." He warned.

"No, I'm sorry!" Comet exclaimed. "This is just…wow…I have so many questions." He began to ramble on. "Like what are you? What do you know?"

Bill's eye widened and stared at him with intensity as a glowing circle of blue light swirled behind him. "OH, I KNOW LOTS OF THINGS!" His yellow body switched in color and pattern to show cryptic locations and symbols in such rapid succession Comet couldn't understand any of it. In a slower, deeper voice, he continued, "LOTS OF THINGS…"

Fear ceased at his insides for a moment but Comet gets a hold of himself and says. "What can you tell me about Mabel Pines.

"HAHA! WAIT. MABEL PINES?" Bill turned around and held his hands together, his eye narrowed. A few images of Mabel flicked over his body–Now that he was free all the vast knowledge of the universe was coming back to him, but it was revealing itself to slowly to him. He shakes himself. "Kid your telling me you don't know your own mom?" He asked.

"Mom?" Comet was even more confused. "She's my aunt."

"Aunt?" Bill's eye widened and then went back to normal. He turned around, his body yellow once more, and held his hands behind his back. "Who are you?" he asked the boy, his eye narrowed once more.

"My names Comet." He said. "Comet Pines!"

* * *

 _ **-To Be Continued**_


	12. Father and Son

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Okay Here we are with the chapter you all have ben waiting for! Thanks for reading and please review.

* * *

 **(Back with Bill…)**

He wasn't sure he had heard correctly.

Did this boy just say his name was Comet?

' _There's no way he can be my Comet, right?'_ He asked himself.

There was one way to find out.

"Comet Pines?" Bill asked questioningly. "As in the twin brother of Star?"

"Yes." Comet answered plainly still trying to grasp at what was going on, obviously the creature, this Bill was confused. Which only confirmed Comet's suspicions. "She's been lying to us, hasn't she?"

Oh, someone had been lying to them, someone had been lying to them all, and It wasn't Shooting Star. No, she was just a pawn in Pine Tree's carefully thought out plan. He looked back down at the boy before him. He didn't know whether to be angry or impressed with his mate's skills. Dipper had managed to pull off the perfect ploy, he had actually pulled the rug from beneath him. He even made him kill his own right hand man!

Still, something was off here. Bill looked at Comet more closely. "Tell me kid are you…human?" He asked.

Now it was Comet's turn to raise a brow. "What? Of course, I am! And what's with all the questions I thought you were supposed to be all knowing."

Bill looks perplex, even if Pine Tree faked the twins death, they were demons, they should have been sucked up into the Nightmare Realm with the rest of them. And yet, that was the problem, Comet wasn't lying. He was as human as Pine Tree had been the day they first met. "I do know everything." Bill growled. "For example,…" He paused looking at him and he found a smile slipping on his face. "I can tell you're just like your mother."

"Really?" Comet asked. He always thought his sister would have more in common with their mother then himself.

"Oh Yeah." Bill said. "Big doe chocolate brown eyes, inquisitive incite, loves to flirt with danger." He laughed. "I bet you voice even squeaks at times."

"My voice does not squeak!" Comet yelled, of course his voice cracks at that very moment.

Bill can't help it, he doubles over laughing, being with this kid was like going back in time.

"Forget it." Comet grumbled turning to leave. "This was obviously a waste of time." He begins to storm off.

Now usually Bill would panic at this but instead he smiles. "Of course, you get your impatient nature from your father."

Comet stopped in his tracks. "You knew my father?" he asked turning hopefully.

That look of hope dug into Bill's insides.

To think all this time when he thought they were dead his own children were wondering the 3rd dimension alone. Having no idea who their parents were or why they weren't around _. 'I bet Shooting Star told them I was some dooshbag who left them without a single thought.'_ He shook the emotion away. He had to focus, if he played his cards right, he could use Comet.

Now some people might think it's heartless to use your own children, but Bill didn't see it that way. Parents kept their children in the dark all the time, and if everything went according to plan Bill would regain his crown and they would be a family again.

"Look kid I've been away for 12 years." He explained. "A lot has happened…obviously. And I didn't get to see it transpire."

"So, you can't help me." Comet's face fell.

"Not yet." Bill mused baiting him.

"Yet?" Comet asked.

"Look all the answers are out there I just need time to dig them up." Bill revealed. ' _I also need time to figure out how to keep Pine Tree from coming after me.'_ He added inwardly.

"This is great!" Comet said, looking relieved. "With your help we'll finally get the answers we always wanted. Star is going to be so psyched."

"Whoa slow down, kid!" Bill said hitting the breaks. "Why would you want to tell her anyway?"

"She's my sister." Comet reason.

"Yeah a sister who can't keep a secret." Bill wagered. Sure, he wanted Star to see him just as much as Comet did, but he could tell that at least for now she had to stay in the dark. "Am I right? I mean if not why isn't she here?"

"She thinks we should wait for Aunt Mabel to tell us, but she will only do that when we're ' _ready'_." He huffed. "And I'm beginning to think that's gonna be a fat never!"

"See kid if you tell her or any of your friends, they'll tell Mabel and she'll get rid of me." Bill reasoned.

"She can do that?" Comet asked amazed. He had no idea his aunt could take on a god, she seemed too nice to have a single fighting bone in her body.

"For now." Bill confirmed. "I need time to get my powers back, in the meantime I'll start fishing around for answers." Yes, once his power returned he could leave this mindscape by tearing open his own rift. Of course, that would take time, time he may not have.

"Great!" Comet is over the moon now. "So how long do you think that will take?" he asked. "A couple of weeks? Months?" He guessed. "It sounds like a big job."

"Whoa kid we haven't even covered my fee." Bill cut in.

"Fee?" Comet asked.

"Well you don't expect an all-powerful being to just do stuff for you without anything in return do you?" Bill reasoned.

"But I'm just a kid." Comet reasoned. "What can I do for you?"

' _Oh lots.'_ Bill thought, but instead he shrugged. "Don't know, I'm not in any need for anything particular at the moment."

Again, Comet's face fell.

Bill smiled, this kid really was just as adorable as his Pine Tree, it made him wonder what Star was like. "Alright fine." He said as if, shrugging it off. "Tell you what I'll help you and you can just owe one."

"Really?" Comet exclaimed. "Why?" he asked. He wasn't sure why he suddenly asked that question, but it was like a voice in the back of his head was warning him to be warry.

"I have a soft spot for people desperate for answers." Bill said, which wasn't a lie. After all people like Ford were like his bread and butter. "So, kid do we have a deal?" He held out his hand for Comet It burst into blue flames.

Again, Comet could feel every fiber in his being telling him to stop, warning him that this felt off, that something just wasn't right here. But he couldn't back down now not when he was this close to finding all the answers he longed so desperately for. "Okay. It's a deal." He took Bill's hand. Deceptively cool blue fire spread over his wrist. He stared at his hand in awe. The fire didn't burn him. In fact, it felt a bit cold.

"Alright we I better get going." Bill insisted as he went to leave.

"Wait!" Comet suddenly remembered.

Bill paused. "Well?"

"This is so embarrassing." Comet admitted. "But I'm kind of…lost."

"So, you found this pace by complete accident?" Bill asked.

Comet nodded.

"Well I could show you the way." Bill reasoned with a sly smile. "But we're stuck here in the mindscape." He explained.

"Mindscape?" Comet asked.

"Kid none of this is really happening." Bill explained. "You're sleeping, this is all happening in your head."

"Oh." Comet said finally understanding. "That's why everything is frozen."

"Exactly." Bill concurred. "Now with your permission I could take over your body and walk you home."

"You can do that?" Comet was really intrigued now.

"Sure kid." Bill shrugged.

"So, you can't interact with our world without possessing someone?" Comet asked.

"Well that's how it use to be." Bill answered honestly. "But I'm a God now so as soon as my powers return to their full glory, I should be able to enter your world and make my own physical form."

"Wait now?" Comet asked. "As in you weren't always?"

"Look kid you want me to walk you home or not?" Bill questioned.

"Sure." Comet shrugged.

"NO, you have to say it." Bill corrected him.

"Say it?" Comet asked.

Bill sighed. "Say Bill Cipher I give you permission to enter my mind and take over my body."

Once more, something tells Comet not to listen, but he ignores it. After all he's got to get home somehow.

"Bill Cipher I give you permission to enter my mind and take over my body."

Bill smiled. "Now give me your hand kid." He reached out his hand.

Comet didn't even hesitate this time he took Bill's hand. Once again, the fiery blue flames appeared this time engulfing his whole body.

Bill pulled Comet's hand back and threw him into the air. Comet screamed as he tumbled, weightlessly, he blinked and looked down. His body lay limp on the floor of the cave, head down and chest unmoving. He looked down at what should be his chest. He was translucent, now, and much paler. In fact, he glowed a light blue. He stuck his hand through his own stomach and pulled it out. He didn't feel a thing. "What did you do to my body?!"

His real body which laid before him began to move, pulling itself to its feet. His eyes became pale yellow pupils with slits. A smile wider than Comet had ever possessed spread across his features. He tumbles, wobbly on his own feet, only they're not his feet.

Bill laughs manically as he accidentally runs into one of the cave walls.

"Careful!" Comet shouted.

"Sorry kid." Bill laughed, not really looking sorry at all. "Been a while." He admitted. "Man, you meat sacks have the weirdest bodies."

"Meat sacks?" Comet asked.

Bill was about to retort when a small squirrel starts attacking his pant leg. "Whoa feisty little thing, aren't you?" He asked.

The animal growls at him.

"Magenta it's okay." Comet tried to reassure her. No doubt she could tell that Bill was not him.

"Wait Magenta?" Bill looks at the squirrel and notices her blood red eyes. A wicked smiled spread across his face. "Magenta." He said sweetly imitating Dipper's voice as his eyes turned fiery blue. "Heel girl." He had always thought Teeth had destroyed the underlings too when he killed the twins, but now he realized. If Teeth killing the twins was a lie, then the underlings being destroyed was also a lie.

Pine Tree had turned them into familiars so he could keep an eye on the twins. That's why he was suddenly so uneasy, he must have realized thanks to Magenta that the twins had arrived at Gravity Falls. This of course, was bad news for him because it meant Dipper could see everything that was transpiring through her eyes, but it could also be a good thing.

Magenta stops realizing who she's dealing with in an instant. She knows it's not her Queen, but worse, it's her King!

Bill's smile spreads. "Good girl." She maybe Dipper's underling, but Bill had made her himself along with her sister. Which meant he could also destroy her, so in less she wanted that she'd be wise to behave.

He turned to Comet who was trying to figure out what just transpired. "Let's get you home kid." He said taking the lead.

Comet floated behind him as they started out of the cave and into the woods and with every step Bill Cipher got closer and closer to his prey. Once there he would take back everything that was stolen from him including his kids.

Yes, he would get his revenge and this time he would show no mercy.

* * *

 **(Back with Dipper…)**

He had to get to Comet now! While the damage was still small and insignificant, but Bill's goons didn't make it easy. They had surrounded him the moment Bill disappeared, each of them growing large in size and throwing what every they could at him. Whether it be fire lazars or ice, some of the eye ball bats even tried to turn him into stone. It was then that Dipper realized that Bill was right, if they wanted to the demons could over throw him.

And they were.

' _Just open a rift here.'_ Light Advised.

"We can't." Dipper answered out loud as he continued to fight them off. 12 years of no feeding had taken its toll, and he was barely stronger than the masses. "They'll follow, and get through."

' _Then we have no choice.'_ Light declared separating from King. This act only divided their strength making the odds even worse. The demons saw their chance for an advantage and took it. Light stood in front of Dipper as an onslaught of blows rained down. "Go king, warn Mabel, I'll keep them here."

"I can't." Dipper exclaimed. "What if I'm gone too long? We've never been separate for longer than a couple of hours." It was strange to think he use to hate the demon before him, and even now he saw him as something separate from himself.

"I'll be fine." Light said. It's a lie and they both know it, if Dipper left him he would be destroyed, minimizing Dipper's strength by half. But at least Dipper would get away, and then there would be hope.

Dipper nodded and with one last fleeting look to Light he made a run for it.

"He's getting away!" Keyhole shouted.

"Ge him!" Kryptos yelled.

The swarm charged.

"Oh no you don't." Light turned as black as the void around them and stood his ground. "You have to get through me first.

The demons stopped, and smiled wickedly.

"Gladly." Pyronica sneered and then she led the charge.

Dipper didn't want to look back, he didn't want to see the end of the only friend he had ever had in this hell, but as he ripped open a rift into the 3rd dimension he couldn't help one last fleeting glance.

The demons fired at him with all their might, a large flash of elements, some fire, some ice, and others collected into one big beam of that violently tore throw his other half.

Dipper felt the shock of the blow, and as Light disintegrated into mist Dipper fell through the rift and onto the forest floor below.

The demons scramble after him, but it's no use; the rift soon closes behind him.

Dipper grunts, his face in the dirt, something feels off but he's too weak to put his finger on it.

He runs his hand through his…hair?

Dipper does his best to look at his human hand threw his blurry vision. And it was indeed human! He touched his face, two eyes, a nose, a cliff chin, and unruly brown hair.

He was back! But before he could wonder how or why the world around him began to spin and just like that he was out…

COLD!

* * *

 **(Back with Bill…)**

Man, he forgot how overbearing a human body could be!

Bill groaned as he finally managed to get the kid back to the…"Fashion Shack?" He asked Comet, obviously confused.

"Yep." Comet answered feeling rather embarrassed.

"What happened to the Mystery Shack?" Bill asked.

"The what?" Comet looked even more confused then he did.

"You have got to be kidding me." Bill shook his head and decided now was as good as a time as ever to vacate the kid's body.

Comet watched as his body fell to the ground out of nowhere. "Hey careful!" He reminded him.

"Just get back in there!" Bill advised giving him a good kick.

Comet's…spirt? Collided back with his physical body and he opened his eyes. The world was gray again. "Man, you really need to work o your people skills." He lectured.

"Yeah sure kid I'll get right on that." Bill rolled his eye. "Now off to bed with you, I've got some work to do."

Comet nodded, though he was sure he'd never get any sleep after tonight. Still he slipped into the house with relative ease and headed up the stairs, everything was quiet which meant she was all good.

He snuck into the attic and dove under the covers.

"Comet?" Star asked sleepily.

"Just went to the bathroom." Comet told her.

"oh…ok…" Star mumbled and in seconds she was fast asleep once more.

Comet smiled; he had done it! Star was none the wiser and better, yet he was finally going to get the answers he always wanted.

He could hardly wait!

Bill smiled down on his children as he floated above them in the dreamscape. One look at Star and he knew exactly who she favored in the family dynamic. She was a spitting image of Shooting Star, which kind of sadden him, as a fellow dream demon, he thought the two of them would have more in common.

Still it was good to see them.

He shook the warm fuzzy feelings off as his body glowed with an incoming message from his henchmaniacs.

Bill clawed a rift open back into the Nightmare Realm, his buddies couldn't follow him here, but this would allow him to communicate with them. "Let me guess he got away." Bill stated the obvious.

"Well half of him did." Shinigami confirmed.

"Half?" Bill asked.

"We destroyed the Light fellow." Hector explained.

Bill put his hand to his face in thought, Light was Dipper's inner demon that had formed its own personality. While most demons had the seven sins as their inner voices, Dipper only had Light, and Since Dipper was still a fairly new demon he still saw himself as human, and Light as the demon.

So, without Light it was possible that Dipper was…

Bill smiled; this could work in his favor. "Relax and sit tight boys." He advised. As he spoke he drifted down threw the floor and into Mabel's room. "Because things are about to get interesting."

And with that he entered Shooting Star's mind!

* * *

 _ **-To Be Continued**_

* * *

Stay safe everyone!


	13. A Dream Investigation

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Okay guys I know an update just went out, but I'm trying to push out more chapters for one book each month so I can get them done. This is because I keep mixing up my stories and accidentally posting them in the wrong place. (As some of you have noticed!) Please be patient with me and I promise that things will be better from here.

Thanks for reading, enjoy, and please review

* * *

 **(Back with Bill…)**

The first thing he saw a colorful vibrant world that screamed creativity. Pages of scrap books hung everywhere as glitter rained from the sky. Bill looked around and found himself in a jumbled world of random cartoon characters and male super models. The dream demon rolled his eye. _'Well it's nice to know Shooting Star's mind has grown in my absence.'_ He joked inwardly.

He ignores his surrounds and travels further into the chaos, members of Several Times dance threatening towards him, but he just pushes on through. He knows what's going on, this whole things was a distraction to keep him away from the truth.

He doesn't take the bait, instead he travels further still until he reaches what he is looking for. One by one doors begin to line up around him. Usually he would try to discover a patterned, or some since of order in them, but he knows that in this case it is useless. Shooting Star is too random for such techniques. This of course, presented a problem how was he going to find what he was looking for in the labyrinth of memories before him?

Simple, he knew Shooting Star wouldn't leave such damming evidence out in the open. With a secret as big as this she would be sure to bury it…deep! So, he wasted no time opening the doors before him, racing past them at light speed he dove deeper and deeper into her mind until he had entered an empty void. Confusion settles in, and for a moment he ponders going back, fearing he over looked something, but something told him to keep going; so, he did.

Deeper and deeper he plunged into the darkness, and with every past second his doubts grow, until finally something appears in the distance. He moves impossibly faster, desperate now, if Shooting Star wakes up before he can get there he will be thrown out of her mind all together, and all his efforts would be in vain. For only when an individual was unconscious did he have the liberty to poke around in a person's mind without permission.

At last he reaches the door, but for some strange reason he pauses as he reaches for it. What would he find here? Did he really want to know just how dark the mind of his mate had become? Even now after all Dipper had done to him, Bill still saw the innocent little Pine Tree he always knew. Did he really want to ruin that image?

The dream demon pushes the thought away and slowly turns the knob, and as it opens an unknown force sucks him out of the void and into the past.

* * *

 **(12 years ago,…)**

 **{The final days of Weirdmageddon…}**

He knows where he is in an instant.

The Fearamid, the twins nursery; darkness and silence surrounds him as he creeps towards the twins within the darkness. He can feel others moving behind him, but for some reason this doesn't alarm him.

Then suddenly…

"Ow Soos that was my foot you just stepped on!" Wendy howled as she clicked on her flash light.

"Oh, sorry dude." Soos apologized, turning on his flash light as well.

"Guys Shhh!" Bill exclaimed, as he too turned on his own flash light! But somethings off, he looks down and notices, that he is not himself. He was Shooting Star, relieving the memory through her eyes.

"WOW YOU GUYS SUCK AT THIS!" Yuko said as Magenta chuckled cruelly as they appear.

"It's a good thing we're on your side!" Magenta mused, as everyone else turned on their flashlights.

"Okay guys no offense but can we please hurry McGucket smells twice as bad in small

places like this." Pacifica whined, plugging her nose.

"It's true!" McGucket sighed. "I smell like death!"

"Guys focus!" Bill warned. He didn't bother trying to control the events unfolding before him; there's no point. Everything has already happened, and he is just along for the ride.

"Right!" They said in unison.

"Okay Yuko, Magenta you take the twins place in their beds." Bill ordered as Soos and Wendy each grabbed a twin. "Then once Teeth shows up let him have it!"

"So, we what knock him out?" Magenta asked.

"Your blood has to be on the scene." Wendy explained. "That way Bill thinks you at least tried to fight him off!"

"Then once Teeth has injured you enough used this on him." Bill pulled out a bag of pixie dust. "A whole bag of this should knock him out long enough for Dipper to show up and finish him off!"

"Once that's done find us at the Dust 2 Dawn, and we'll perform your familiar ritual which will bond you to the twins." Candy concluded.

So, they had used a familiar ritual to keep the underlings here as Bill had suspected. This was good news because like Dipper he could now use them as his eyes, and for completing small task. However, this was bad because as familiars their powers were limited. For example, if their chosen twin was in danger they could turn back to their demon form and assist, but once the child was safe they'd go back to being regular squirrels. And in that form the only power they had was their immortality. This meant that as far as everything else Bill was on his own. Of course, he was used to this, besides with any luck he would be able to manipulate Comet as a helping hand.

"Oh, I can't wait to be a familiar!" Magenta exclaimed.

"Can I be a Squirrel?" Yuko asked. "I like Squirrels."

"Sure, why not!" Pacifica snapped. "Now let's go before the actual murder shows up!"

"Oh right!" Magenta said. "Here take this." She handed Bill a book. "Just in case you have any questions."

Bill smiled. "Thanks, we'll see you guys real soon." He couldn't help but be impressed with how well Pine Tree had thought this plan through. Had he of never escaped he would have been none the wiser.

The scene changes, now he and the others at sot the Dust 2 Dawn performing the ritual. He opens the book of Knowledge that Magenta had given him and asked. "Knowledge Tell us how to perform the demonic detox."

Words began to form before him on the page:

 _For a human to perform the demon detox, said human must feed the demons a small amount of human blood before reciting this spell._

" _With this blood I remove the Darkness within And bless the (State demon/demons' full name) and pray that the day will never come that you are led astray._

 _With this Blood, I will make all go away. But let this one memory in his/her mind forever stay. (State memory)"_

 _Warning: Have Time capsule ready to capture the dark demon essence that will expel from the demon._

"Sounds simple enough." he said. "Okay let's do this!"

Wendy hands him a Knife. "You do it Mabel, you're the God Mother."

He takes the knife as he holds Comet in one hand. "Candy have the time capsule open, and ready!"

Candy did as ordered, and held the time capsule by Comets mouth.

The time capsule catches his attention, in a moment his son's demon half would be trapped in it. So, naturally all he have to do is find where Mabel hid it. Still, he allowed the memory to play through; just so he wouldn't miss anything important.

"Okay little Comet." He said. "Aunty Mabel is going to feed you something that may taste gross." She cut her hand then, and held the bleeding wound to the small demon.

Comet's eye turns into a mouth, and laches on to the cut as Wendy begins the chant.

"With this blood I remove the Darkness within and bless the Comet Stanley Cipher, and pray that the day will never come that you are led astray. With this Blood, I will make all go away. But let this one memory in your mind forever stay."

Bill bent his head down and whispered in Comet's ear, "Mommy and Daddy love you; don't you ever forget that." He was taken aback. He had expected her to tell the kids to never trust him, and perhaps she should have; but instead she chose this. She chose to tell them that the parents they were never to see again, loved them. He is touched by this and can't help but wonder if Dipper had told Mabel to say this.

A black mist started to ooze out of Comet's mouth.

"Candy get it!" Bill ordered.

Candy guided the mist into the time capsule, and closed the bottle. "Got it!"

Bill watched in awe as Comet's demon form transformed into a newborn baby boy.

He cooed softly, but otherwise stayed quiet.

"Well that's one down." Pacifica said.

"With one to go." Bill chimed as he picked up little Star. "Okay one more time people." He said and cut his hand again.

Star latched on to the cut forcefully and drunk the blood down as Wendy recited once more. "With this blood I remove the Darkness within and bless the Star Madison Cipher, and pray that the day will never come that you are led astray. With this Blood, I will make all go away. But let this one memory in her mind forever stay."

Mabel bent down and whispered the same message in her ear that she told Comet.

In seconds, a black mist started to ooze out of Star's mouth, which Candy locked away in the second time capsule. She then handed both to Bill, who tied both capsules to a piece and

string that she than wore around her neck like a neckless.

And just like her brother did Star changed into a beautiful new born baby.

Bill aloud the memory to fade to black, and soon the scene changes once more.

* * *

 **(Still 12 years ago,…)**

 **{After Bill's Defeat…}**

The first thing he felt was sorrow, he sees a car pulling away. Right away he knows that he is still Mabel, and the car is taking the twins away, far away from him and Gravity Falls.

Mabel's friends ran after the car, but he did not follow instead he turned around to see Ivan.

"I know you're sad, but one day you'll see the value in this decision." Ivan told him.

"I know, and I'm gonna be okay, I just have one more thing to do." Bill told him as he took two necklaces from around his neck.

It was the time capsules that held the Twins' demon sides.

Ivan nodded gravely, and Bill marched into the shack.

There was only one place to keep these locked up and he knew it.

Bill punched the code into the vending machine and then followed the stairs down into the darkness, and once she reached the elevator she pushed the button for level 3! Moments later the doors open and he enters a dark room with thousands of locked volts.

This was the room where Ford locked away items that he found was too dangerous to ever be set free.

Bill pulled out a key from around her neck, and unlocked one of the thousand volts.

Number: 103116

He placed the time capsules inside, and locked the volt tight before returning the key to its place around his neck.

Bill smiled as he allowed himself to be expelled from Mabel's mind, she was waking up now, and he had what needed.

His goal was simple get that key. If he got it he could release the twins' demon halves and then they could open up a Rift for him. This way, he wouldn't have to wait for his full strength to return. Once the Rift was open Bill's power would return more rapidly. Naturally, Dipper's would to, or it would if he didn't see himself and Light as two separate people. As long as Dipper never sees himself as a demon his powers may never return completely.

This would be a great advantage for Bill, now all he needed to do was get that key.

He smiled as he floated back up to the attic, he knew the perfect kid for the job.

* * *

 _ **-To Be Continued**_


	14. Who's Dipper

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:**

Thanks for reading, enjoy, and please review

* * *

 **(Back with McGucket…)**

It wasn't like Fiddleford McGucket to take in strangers, but there was just something about the man that seemed…dare he say it…familiar? He had just finished visiting with his son Tate when he decided to go for a nightly patrol of the woods. Now for a man in his 70s many young whippersnappers, especially he son; warned him that he was too old to be doing such a thing.

"Leave it to the younger folks Pa." His son would say. "Ollie, or Ben are more than capable to check the fence for holes and ask the gnomes if they had seen anything out of the usual."

However, Fiddleford was hearing none of it! He was still young in his eyes and he was just as capable as the rest of them. So, he had set off to the woods without much thought. It was early morning when he had left his son's home on the docks. He had made a habit of spending the night in the spare room; mostly because the Northwest Manor (which he had bought after Weirdmageddon) was too big and lonely to sleep in. The sun had already begun to rise as he started to waked the perimeter when he noticed a gnome walking the fence line and looking worried.

The creature raced up to him as soon as he noticed McGucket. "Intruder, in the woods." He told him.

Those four words grabbed his attention almost instantly, and his blood ran cold. "Show me." He ordered the little man as he walked up to a stomp a few feet away. He kicked the stomp three times and suddenly the stomp rose up like a door on a hinge revealing a hidden tunnel to the other side of the fence. Moments later a matching stomp on the other side rose and McGucket stepped out.

"This way." The Gnome, who McGucket believed was named Mike said as he ushered him deeper into the woods.

The forest was eerily quiet which was strange in itself, but as they walked deeper into the thicket McGucket started hearing voiced arguing.

"Are you sure it's the same one we saw, Jeff?" A voice asked.

"Sure is." Jeff's voice assured. "He's got the brown hair and everything."

"I could have sworn he was younger." The first voice said.

"Nope that's him, the little sneak." Jeff assured a group of his men as McGucket and Mike walked up. "Hugeling." He said, addressing McGucket. "This intruder was caught sneaking into the woods. We tried to stop him, and he ran."

McGucket examined the boy as Jeff spoke, and for a moment he could have sworn it was his old Friend Stanford Pines. However, he knew that couldn't be right. Ford had died during the events of Weirdmageddon, but that fact didn't stop him from thinking the man before him looked a lot like Ford had in his early twenties. Brown hair, button nose, lanky body, heck he was even willing to bet he had the brown eyes.

"I'm telling you he was younger." The Gnome who was speaking to Jeff before continued to argue.

"Quiet Steve!" Jeff Ordered.

"Does he…look familiar to you?" McGucket asked awkwardly.

"I was just saying the same thing when we found him." Jeff declared. "Didn't I Carl?"

Another Gnome nodded in response.

"Can't seem to place a name though." Jeff added. "What do you suppose we do with him?"

"Well we can't leave him here." McGucket said, noticing the condition of the man, the ground was also caked with dry blood. Which he thought was strange because he noticed no visible wounds on the man. McGucket Pulled out his phone and spoke with his son briefly before hanging up. "Tate's bringing the truck, help me get him back to the stump."

The Gnomes nodded and several of them worked together to lift the man before walking back with McGucket where he and Mike had met before. Tate was already there when they arrived, and he did not look happy.

"Dad I told you…" He began, but McGucket cut him off.

"Just help me get him to the Manor I'll have the Doctor come see him there."

Tate obeyed his father, grumbling under his breath as the gnomes carried him through the secret tunnel to the other side of the fence so he could load him up. Once the stranger was safely placed in the bed of the truck the Gnomes disappeared back into the woods as Tate started the long drive to McGucket manor.

McGucket pulled out his phone once more and dialed the number for the Fashion Shack. He was beginning to have his suspicions about who this man was, and he didn't like it.

He didn't like it one bit.

* * *

 **(Back with Comet…)**

Part of him wondered if last night had been just one crazy dream. There was no way he had snuck into the woods and summoned an all knowing god for answers. Comet shook his head at the thought as he got up before the alarm. It just sounded crazy, like it had come straight out of a novel instead of reality.

Star moaned from her side of the room as her brother gathered his clothes. "What time is it?"

"Early." Comet whispered. "Couldn't go back to sleep."

"Me either." Star yawned as she dragged herself out of the bed. "I'm gonna take a shower." She mumbled as she grabbed her own clothes.

"Ok." Comet answered as he watched her go, he stood there for a moment after she left before whispering. "Bill?"

Seconds later the world turned gray and froze around him once more. For a moment nothing happens, and as the seconds stretch out to a minute; worry began to set in, and then.

"Morning Sprout!"

Comet jumped, yelping in shock as the triangle being appeared before him from out of nowhere.

"Man, that never gets old." Bill exclaimed with a laugh.

"Did you find out the answers?" Comet asked, not even giving himself a moment to calm down after the scare he just received.

"Yes." Bill answered simply.

"Great!" Comet exclaimed.

"And no." Bill added darkly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Comet demanded.

"Sorry kid but it's been a while for me." Bill lied. "I was able to get you some answers." He assured him.

"Well I guess some is better than none." Comet mumbled.

Bill almost regrets the lie; the kid has that adorable pout that Pine Tree would get when he isn't getting his way. Still, Bill knew that if he told Comet too much the kid might start thinking he didn't need him anymore, and until his own powers returned Comet was his only link to the 3rd dimension. And regaining said power could be time consuming, which worried Bill. If Pine Tree regained his demon form first it was all over; he'd tell Comet the truth and it would all be over.

He had to get his power's back before then, but first he need Comet to get that key. Once His son reunited with his demon side he would have plenty of energy that Bill could use to regain his Godly form.

"Look Kid your Aunt has a secret door behind the vending Machine that leads to the basement." Bill Revealed.

"Wait what?!" Comet exclaimed.

"Down there is something that belongs to you, something she took." Bill continued.

"Something of mine?" Comet asked confused.

"It's a part of you, once you have it you'll remember everything that you need to know." Bill lied.

"A part of me?" Comet whispered. "I heard or felt something calling out to me from behind it." He revealed. "Is that the thing you're talking about?"

"Yes!" Bill exclaimed.

"How do I get it?" Comet asked.

"The vending machine is a door; the numbers are like a key pad. I can give you the code, but first you got to get the key." Bill explained. "It's on a string around your aunt's neck."

"Can't you get it?" Comet asked hopefully.

"Kid I don't exist in your world yet." Bill reminded him.

"Oh right." Comet looked nervous.

"Look kid the answers you've always wanted are right there." Bill encouraged. "You're this close." He whispered.

Comet bit his lip at the thought, he knew Bill was right. He was so close that it was driving him crazy; all he had to do was get one little key and he'd have it all.

"Kid your Aunt is lying to you, every one of them have been lying to you and your sister your whole lives." Bill smirked, hitting the kid where he knew it would hurt. "Are you tell me you're okay with that?"

"No." Comet grit his teeth and balled up his fist at his words. "I have a right to know."

"Exactly!" Bill mused. "Now I'll be back when you get the key."

"Why?" Comet suddenly asked. "Where are you going."

"Kid I have my own problems too you know." Bill reminded him.

"Oh right, getting your god mojo back." Comet remembered out loud.

Bill smirked. "Just remember don't get caught." He warned before disappearing.

Comet shook his head as the world returned to color, once he regained his composer he got dressed in a hurry and raced down stairs.

Star was also headed down, both of their stomachs were growling, but instead of coming down to a readymade breakfast they saw their Mabel was on the phone…looking worried.

"What do you mean it's him?" Mabel gasped. "Are you sure?"

Star and Comet shared a worried look. What was going on?

"Okay." Mabel finally said. "Don't do anything, I'll be right there!" She hung up the phone and began to gather her keys and purse.

"What's going on?" Star asked.

"Oh, A friend of mine found a man in the woods." Mabel said too frantic to make up a lie. "He seems hurt, they want me to come look at him."

"Why you?" Comet demanded. "You're not a doctor."

Mabel sighed, she knew she ought to stay quiet, but if the mysterious man was who Mcgucket thought it was then the kids would find out sooner or later. "They think I might know him." She spoke honestly. "They need me to help identify him."

Comet's eyes softened, he could see no fault in her answer, so he knew that at least this time she was being honest. "We understand." He told her.

"Yeah Comet and I will take the bus." Star assured her as she ushered her brother out the door, grabbing their bags along the way. "What was that all about?" She demanded.

Comet bit his lip; he knew she'd be able to see right through him. And he knows the Bill told him to keep her out of this, but he had never kept a secret from his sister before.

 _'Maybe I can tell her some of the truth.'_ He thought.

"Look Star, I've been hearing… a voice." He admitted.

"You mean the one from the vending machine?" Star asked.

"Look it doesn't matter where!" Comet snapped suddenly feeling silly. "All that matters is what it told me."

"Which is?" Star asked.

"Mable's lying to us." Comet told her. "They all are."

"What do you mean?" Star asked. "What is she lying about?"

"I don't know." Comet admitted his eyes narrowed. "But I aim to find out."

"Comet." Star warned. "You promised."

"I waited." Comet argued. "She had her chance to tell us, now I'm going to get answers from someone who is willing to give them."

"Comet are you listen to yourself?" Star yelled. "Let's say this voice is real." She reasoned. "You're listen to someone or something that you don't know, and believing whatever they say."

"We don't know Aunt Mable, and you listen to her without question." Comet argued.

"That's different she's family!" Star snapped back.

"Whoa, hey guys." Chloe said breaking up the fight as the twins arrived at the bus stop. "What's going on?"

"Comet is sneaking around trying to find answers about our parents after he promised!" Star yelled.

"Oh, come on you can't tell me you're not curious!" Comet said. "I mean look at the Shack Star, it looks like it's been standing for decades. If there was a fire 12 years ago it would look twelve years old not like it's been standing for nearly half a century!"

Star bit her lip, she had noticed that, but she wanted to ignore it. She wanted to remain blind to everything. It was just easier to believe that their mother died in a fire, and their dad ran at the thought of being a single teenage father. At least this lie was easier than the truth, that neither of their parents wanted them. "I just want to be happy here." She yelled.

"Look we know you want this all to just go away." Paris said. "But you're not the only ones in the dark here."

Raven nodded her agreement as she looked up from her phone. "Your parents are connected to whatever happened to this town 12 years ago." She pointed out. "They maybe your parents, but this is our town too. We deserve to know."

"Then help me." Comet suggested. "Together we can find all the answers we seek." He reached his hand out to his sister hopefully.

Star looked at her brother's hand, torn. She hated causing trouble because her brother always did. It made her feel like she had to be the good twin, Ann and now Mabel relied on her to be the responsible one. Still, she hated fighting with her brother; and Raven was right.

They had a right to know.

She took her brother's hand. "Okay." She said. "Tell us more about the voice."

Comet shook his head. "First I have to show you guys something." He said. "Otherwise you'll never believe me."

"Okay what is it." Chloe asked.

"Not what…where." Comet corrected her.

"Okay…Where?" Chloe dared to ask.

Comet took a deep breath before answering. "The woods!"

* * *

 **(Location: Mcgucket Manor…)**

Cautiousness came slowly, like molasses on a hot summer day.

He groaned weakly as he tried to sit up.

"Whoa there sunny." A hand rested on his shoulder, stopping him. "You took a nasty beating, take it slow."

His eyes snapped open at the stranger's voice.

He looked to see an old slinky man with a long white beard, beside him stood a taller man who had similar features in his appearance.

"Where am I?" He demanded. "Who are you?" He got up on shaking legs jumping away from the strangers.

And just when he thought it couldn't get any stranger suddenly the door to the room burst open to a young woman with long chocolate hair, She wear a pink head band with a shooting star sweater.

The woman gasped at the sight him, tears welling up in her eyes. "It is you!" She runs up to him, throwing her arms around him. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Okay can someone please tell me what's going on?" The man asked.

The woman pulls away from him. "Dipper it's me." She says hopefully.

The man just gives her an even more confused look then before and says. "Who's Dipper?"

* * *

 _ **-To Be Continued**_


	15. Supernatural

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:** Next chapter is up!

Thanks for reading, enjoy, and please review!

* * *

 **(Back with Comet…)**

"YOU DID WHAT!"

Comet winced; he knew his sister would be angry when he told them about how he snuck off into the woods last night. Still, he hadn't expected the smack upside the head that followed.

"You promised!" Star yelled, only slightly angry with him, honestly she was surprised her brother managed to last this long without breaking a rule.

"I promised not to start trouble." Comet reminded her. "And I haven't."

"Only because you haven't been caught." Chloe told him.

"I can't believe you were in the wood!" Paris looked at him with wonder and amazement.

"Guys!" Star whined. "Please help me talk some since into him."

"A group of kids went in there once." Raven revealed, "And they never came out!"

"Thank you!" Star exclaimed. "You hear that Comet? You could have died!"

"Oh, come on Star, every set of woods has a story like that." Comet reasoned. "Besides if you don't see what's in the woods you'll never believe me." He explained. "Heck I'm not even sure I believe me, and I saw it! You guys have to help prove that I haven't gone completely insane."

"Go in the woods!" Chloe seemed to be floating on air. "Dude we've always wanted too."

"But the fence, it is impenetrable." Paris reasoned.

Comet smiled, his devilish smile. "Not anymore."

Star bit her lip as her brother began to lead their friends towards the woods. "Guys what about school?" She asked hopefully.

"Come on sis live a little." Comet encouraged.

She realized she should stop them, but what could she do? She knew that once Comet set his mind on something he always followed through; no matter how stupid it was. The only thing she could do now was make sure he didn't get hurt. "Guys wait for me!" She raced off after them.

By the time she caught up to them Comet was showing the girls the hole he had crawled in last night.

"So, what's in there?" Paris asked.

"Trust me." Comet said. "It's best you see for yourself."

"How exciting!" Paris exclaimed as she began to crawl through.

"Dude this is the coolest thing I've ever done." Chloe admitted as she punched Comet's shoulder before crawling in after her.

Comet blushed.

"Always wanted to skip school." Raven admitted as she waited her turn.

"Comet is this really necessary?" Star asked as Raven crawled through.

"Come on Star, think of it as an adventure." Comet assured her as he squeezed through himself.

Star hesitated one last time before following her brother through the hole and into the woods.

Once inside Comet took the lead marching through the tall pine trees and deeper into the thicket.

"So, what did you want to show us?" Star asked nervously as she brought up the rear.

Comet looked around with a since of urgency, for the proof he needed, but the woods were calm and paranormal free. "Okay this is going to sound crazy, but I saw a gnome." He admitted.

"A gnome?" Star asked, a look of disbelief on her face. "I can't believe you made me miss the bus for nothing."

"No, I'm serious!" Comet urged. "Everything the bus driver said is true."

"Wait you mean there are actual monsters in these woods!" Raven actually dropped her phone.

"And you brought us here?" Chloe pulls out a nail filer and holds it up defensively. "Dude warn a person next time."

"Relax." Comet assured her. "They're tinny little gnomes what threat could they possibly be?"

"Comet do you hear yourself?" Star asked. "There is no such thing as-" She stopped as a pixy flew by them.

"OMG is that?" She squealed. "A fairy!"

The Pixy flew up to her and smacked her noise with her tinny hand. "How dare you! I am a pixy not a frilly fairy." She declared.

"There's a difference?" Star and Comet asked in unison.

The pixy turned up her nose in disgust. "Of course, there is." She rolled her eyes. "Tourist." She scoffed and flew off.

"Now do you believe me?" Comet asked.

Star blinked in disbelief, rubbing her nose. "I…I don't know what to believe." She admitted.

"Now you know how I feel." Comet admitted.

"Okay so magical creatures are real." Paris said out loud, hardly believing her own words.

"And this has something to do with the voice you've been hearing?" Star added, as Raven picking up her phone.

Comet nodded. "Yeah this is where it gets weird." He admitted.

"Bro it's already weird." Star reminded him.

"Okay weirder." Comet corrected himself. "I tripped and rolled off somewhere in the woods, and I found this cave," he explained. "In it was cave drawings and inscriptions. Somehow I could read the ancient text and I summoned an all-powerful being."

"You summoned an all-powerful being?" Chloe repeated.

Comet nodded. "He said If I do something for him he'd give me answers, and that all I have to do is get a key from around Aunt Mabel's neck and open something in the basement."

"We don't have a basement." Star reminded him.

"It's behind the vending machine." Comet revealed.

Star gasped as she realized the connection. "The voice you heard; it was coming from the basement!"

Comet nodded.

"So, the machine is just a cleverly hidden door!" Paris exclaimed. "This is so exciting!"

"Yeah who knew your Aunt was the dark and mysterious type." Raven mused.

"I don't know that she is." Star admitted out loud.

"Seriously!" Comet yelled. "After what you just saw, you still think that?"

"It's like I said before." Star reasoned. "You're listen to someone or something that you don't know, and believing whatever they say. And now you just told us he wants something in return!"

"Yeah that sounds a lot like a demon." Raven remarked.

"A demon?" Comet asked.

"Yeah they do favors for you in exchange you do something for them." Raven explained.

Comet laughed. "That's silly, there's no such thing." He reasoned.

"Says the guy who just saw a pixy slap his sister." Chloe argued.

"He's probably right." Raven cut in. "Demons require a hand shake to make the deal a legal binding agreement." Raven revealed. "You didn't shake his hand did you?"

Comet's face turned ghostly white.

"Comet." Star knew that face, that was the face that her brother made when he realized he just did something stupid.

Their eyes met and hers harden.

"What did you d-" Before she could finish the ground began to shake from beneath them.

"Whoa." Paris said, trying to regain her balance.

"Was that an Earthquake?" Chloe asked.

Another one erupted around them, and then another, and another, almost like…

"Footsteps." Comet said. "Its footsteps, and it's coming from-" The kids turned around just in time to see a giant angry faced Gnome towering over them.

"Oh my-" Star couldn't form the rest of the sentence.

Comet couldn't speak at all, as the creature got closer he realized it was actually several gnomes standing on top of each other.

"See I told you the kid we saw last night was younger." A gnome shouted as the giant came to a stop.

"Can it Steven." The one at the tippy top ordered. He then addressed the children. "Intruders you have been warned."

"No, we haven't." Raven argued.

"We warned him!" The gnome said as the hand of the giant pointed at Comet.

"Comet?" Star growled at her brother. "Did these kind gnomes warn you to stay out?"

Comet bit his lip. "Maybe?" He admitted.

"Ha he confesses!" The gnomes scoffs. "Now you shall face judgement."

Suddenly the giant gnome screeched loudly and began to charge!

"GUYS RUN!" Comet ordered, though he didn't need to. The girls where already racing back from where they came.

The monstrous gnome drew closer and closer as they fled.

"If we survive this I'm going to kill you!" Star swore to her brother.

"If we survive I'll let you." Comet promised as the fence came into view.

"We're going to make it!" Paris exclaimed.

And it was true somehow they managed to stay out of reach, and before they knew it they were back at the hole in the fence.

Chloe reached it first, practically diving through to safety before being followed by Paris, Raven and finally Star.

Once his sister was through Comet squeezed through himself. It was perhaps the scariest moment of his life. He could feel the gnomes breathing down on him and for a moment he fears he won't make it in time. However, he does, and to his relief the Gnomes stop at the fence line.

"And stay out!" The leader screamed.

The friends wordlessly watched as the giant retreated back into the woods, the silence didn't last.

"That…was…" Comet struggled to find the words.

"Intense." Chloe concluded.

"Yeah." Comet admitted, and it was. All his life Comet had pull dangerous stunts just to see if he could get away with it. But this time the thrill was actually the adventure.

"What now?" Raven dared to ask.

Before Comet could answer, Star cut in.

"How about school while we still have a chance to make it to first period?"

The friends nodded and soon they begin the long walk to the school.

"Star…" Comet began. "I…"

Star shook her head. "I'm not angry." She told him. "I get it, you just want answers, and I do too." She admitted. "But I can't help but feel like Aunt Mabel is just trying to look out for us."

"She's lying to us." Comet argued.

"So, he says." Star reasoned. "What's your proof?"

"The key." Comet explained. "Help me get it and he'll help us open the vending machine door."

"If it's real." Star added.

"If it's real then he's telling the truth." Comet argued.

Star nodded. "Fine I'll help you get the key, but if it turns out to be nothing…"

"If it's nothing I'll cut tides with the lying jerk and stop snooping into Aunt Mabel and our parents until she thinks we're ready."

Star smiled. "Then you got yourself an accomplice bro."

Comet smiled too; he was actually really glad she had decided to help, because with the two of them together he knew…

That anything was possible!

* * *

 **-To Be Continued**


	16. Amnesia

**Chapter Notes**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own Gravity Falls

 **Author's Notes:**

Thanks for reading, enjoy, and please review

* * *

 **(Back with Mabel…)**

She couldn't believe it! Here she was with a brother that she hadn't seen in 12 years, and he couldn't even remember his own name! Mabel balled up her fist in silent anger. How could fate be so cruel? Why was her family always tasked with hardship when others knew nothing but happiness?

"Are you sure it's even him?" Tate asked. "The last time we saw him he was twelve." He pointed out the obvious.

"I know it's him." Mabel said. She and Tate had stepped out of the room to discuss things while McGucket stayed to try and help jog the poor man's memory.

"It could be a trick by Bill." Tate reasoned. "I mean why else would he suddenly be human, and the same age as you?"

"I don't think so." Mabel answered. "I know it's crazy, but I can feel it, it is Dipper."

"But is there a way we can know without a doubt?" Tate dared to ask.

"There might be." Ivan said as he let himself in through the front door.

Ben, Ollie, Candy, Grenda, and the other members of the Zodiac filled in right behind him.

"We all came as soon as we got the message." Wendy declared.

"Is it really him?" Gideon dared to ask.

"That's what we need to find out." Tate said darkly.

"Perhaps a DNA test." Candy suggested. "Find something old of Dipper's and compare it with the man's DNA."

"Won't work." Ivan said. "Bill used his own blood to make Dipper a demon, which means Dipper's DNA is no longer the same." He pulled out vile from his coat pocket. "But perhaps we could test his DNA for something else."

"Like what?" Mabel asked.

"Comet and Star are Dipper's biological children." Ivan reasoned. "If we perform a Paternity test between this man's DNA and the twins we may get our answer."

"Even if he isn't technically female?" Pacifica asked.

"She has a point." Ben reasoned. "Since both Bill and Dipper are physically male a positive result would only prove that he's their parent."

"Are you saying this man could be Bill?" Robby asked, looking a little worried.

"No, if it was Bill then where is Dipper?" Mabel reasoned.

"Bill could have done something to him." Gideon suggested. "And then took on a form that looks like him."

"His eyes are normal though." Mabel pointed out. "If it's Bill he'd have the yellow slits."

"And Dipper took all his power." Wendy added. "There is no way he could have over powered him."

"Not alone." Ivan agreed. "But if this is Dipper, then something is defiantly wrong."

"He's right." Wendy agreed. "Even if this is Dipper the end result is the same. Something happened in the Nightmare Realm."

"We have to come clean Mabel." Pacifica reasoned. "If Bill has anything to do with this the Twins need to be prepared."

Mabel shook her head. "Dipper wanted them to have a normal human life." She argued. "If they find out they're demon spawns then that dream will be shattered."

"Then maybe we should send them back?" Candy suggested.

"They've been here less than a week." Mabel disputed. "I could forfeit my custody if the courts found out."

"Maybe it's for the best." Pacifica dared to say.

"Pacifica!? How could you say that? They're all I have left of Dipper!" Mabel yelled. "They deserve to be with us. They're just too young to understand. Heck Dipper and I were too young to be in the mess that we were in 12 years ago, we all were!"

"I'm sorry Mabel." Pacifica apologized. "I just didn't expect things to fall apart so quickly."

Mabel took a deep breath; the truth was she hadn't either. "It's okay. I know you mean well." She assured her."

"Maybe if we question him we can get some answers." Candy reasoned. "If he is suffering from memory lost talking could help."

"And if he's lying?" Tate questioned.

"How would we know?" Robby argued. "He's claiming he has no memory."

"People who fake amnesia eventually give themselves away." Ivan revealed.

"So what?" Ollie asked. "We keep him here until we know for sure?"

"That's what I'd advise." Ivan agreed.

"We can't." Wendy argued. "If this is Dipper, and Bill did do this to him then we can't afford to wait."

"She's right, Bill could be up to something." Mabel agreed.

"And what do we tell the twins?" Pacifica challenged. "They think Dipper is their uncle who died in a fire!"

Mabel groaned loudly in frustration. "I don't know okay!" She shouted. "I just know he is my brother and I want to be with him." Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes.

Pacifica rested a hand on her shoulder. "Let's just take it one step at a time." She advised.

"First we'll take some blood, and see what he knows." Ivan said taking charge as he pulled out a needle for drawing blood.

The group all nodded their agreement and went back to the room the man was being held.

Once everyone else saw him, there was an instant resignation in all of their minds. There was no denying it, this man was indeed Dipper.

"This is bad." Gideon admitted out loud. "Really bad."

Ivan ignored him looking at the man before him. "Son, can you tell me your name?" He asked.

The man, Dipper shook his head. He was huddled up in the corner of the room, no doubt the number of strangers was making him feel uneasy.

"You have to remember something." Mabel urged. "I'm your sister Mabel." She started grasping at straws. "This is Gravity Falls; you have the Big Dipper on your forehead."

"Mabel that's it!" Wendy exclaimed. "The Birthmark!" She raced up to Dipper and brushed his bangs aside. Right there was the Big Dipper against his ivory skin. "It is you." She whispered.

Dipper blushed openly at her closeness; she was a very pretty woman. So, much so that he hated the fact that he forgot her.

"Oh yeah it's him." Robbie said rolling his eyes.

"Maybe this will jog his memory." Mabel declared pulling out one of her old scrap books from her oversized purse. It was the one she had created from their last summer together, after everything that had happened she kept it with her always. It was the only thing she had that had everyone in it she had lost during Weirdmageddon, their parents, Stan, and Ford, and of course Dipper. "This is us fighting off a giant Gnome, and the Summerween Trickster, and that time we fought all those creepy wax people."

Dipper placed a hand on hers. "I'm sorry but…" He tried to think, hard. "I remember…nothing." he admitted sadly.

"It's no use Mabel." Wendy argued.

"He must have hit his head or something." McGucket reasoned. "Sure, he may be healed on the outside, but the mind is a fickle thing." He added. "Believe me I know."

"So, the name Bill Cipher means nothing to you?" Ollie asked.

"Bill who?" Dipper asked.

"Well that's just great!" Ben swore under his breath.

"I don't care how convincing he is." Tate stepped in. "I still say we should test him.

"Test me?" Dipper looked really confused now.

Ivan nodded and took the needle out before going for Dipper's arm.

"Whoa wait a minute!" Dipper pulled his arm away, and stepped back.

"It's alright Dipper." Ivan tried to assure him. "We just need to test your blood, so we know it's you."

"Aren't there doctors for that?" Dipper yelled.

"We don't have time." Ivan answered honestly. "You being her spells out grave danger for all of us." He reasoned. "Especially with you like this."

"What do you me?" Dipper asked as he let Ivan take his arm.

Ivan drew the blood swiftly, and as he figured it was black.

Dipper's eyes widen. "Blood isn't supposed to be that color." he said as a matter of fact.

"So, he knows that, but he can't remember his own name?" Robbie retorted.

"I may not remember much." Dipper admitted. "But I don't need my memories to know I strongly dislike you."

"Demon blood is black." Ivan explained like it was no big deal, but to Dipper it was.

His eyes widen as he looked away from Robbie and to the man before him. "Demon?" He screeched. "What do you mean I'm a demon?! I'd think I'd know if I was a demon."

"It still doesn't explain why is older." Pacifica reasoned.

"Maybe it does." Candy stated. "Dipper may have been turned into a demon, but he still kept his physical form."

"But demons don't age." Ollie argued.

"That's not exactly true." Demons with physical forms can project themselves as any age. As a human Dipper would most likely age physically without meaning to, it's so natural for him to think he's one year older annually. So, any human form would reflect that."

"But why is he in human form at all?" Wendy asked out loud.

"Okay could someone please explain to me what's going on?" Dipper yelled. Everyone was talking as if he wasn't even in the room.

Everyone ignored him, too deep in thought.

"You wouldn't have anything of the Twins' on hand would you?" Ivan asked Mabel hopefully.

"Nothing with DNA." Mabel said, discouraged.

"It could be the smallest thing." Ivan reasoned. "Something they touched, anything?"

Mabel looks skeptical but pulls out the kid's bus tickets they had when they arrived at Gravity Falls. She was going to place them in a new scrapbook, but it was the only thing she had on hand. "Will these work?"

"Perfect!" Ivan took the tickets and ripped off a small piece of them.

"I don't get it." Mabel admitted. "How is this going g to prove anything?"

"Demon blood will not work with any human DNA testing methods." Ivan revealed. "However, there is one way we can prove if he's at least related to the twins." he took the small pieces of the tickets and dropped them into a nearby cup. He then used the needle to squeeze some of Dipper's blood inside as well.

Nothing happened.

Ivan nodded. "That settles it." He said.

Everyone looked at him confused.

"If the twins were not related to him his blood would have repelled them, causing the cup to erupt into flames." Ivan explained. "However, nothing happened so…"

"They're related." Grenda concluded.

"And with no yellow eyes, he has to be Dipper." Wendy declared.

Everyone looks relieved.

"So how do you know all this stuff about demons anyway?" Tate asked.

"Bill isn't the only demon who has tried to take over this world." Ivan explained. "He's just the only one to get this close. Before Ford and all this Bill Cipher none sense, I sought out and fought, many of demons."

"Okay Hi guy who can't remember his name here!" Dipper shouted. "Would someone please tell me what's going on!"

"We were kind of hoping you could fill us in." Wendy admitted.

"Me?" Dipper asked. "Why?"

"You've been gone a long time." Mabel explained.

"I was?" Dipper asked. "Where…where was I?"

"Another dimension, a place called the nightmare Realm. It's a prison for demons and interdimensional criminals." Gideon explained.

Dipper laughed. "Ok now I know you guys are pulling my leg. There's no way all of that is real."

"It's no use." Pacifica sighed.

"Maybe if he showed him around it will jog his memory." Mabel said hopefully.

"Those suffering amnesia do recover faster when they are exposed to things that were once familiar to them." Candy seemed to agree.

"There's still the matter of the twins." Pacifica revealed.

"We'll say he's a distant cousin." Ollie stated grabbing Dipper by the shoulder to stand beside him. "We kind of look alike."

"Yeah and the fact that he looks like Mabel isn't obvious." Robbie Joked.

"No maybe Pacifica is right." Mabel realized. "I told the twins I would tell them the truth When they are ready."

"So, we're going to tell them everything?" Wendy asked.

"No but we will come clean about Dipper." Mabel decided. "And were going to tell the kids that my older sister Megan is a fake."

"You mean we're going to tell them Dipper is their mom!?" Pacifica exclaimed. "Mabel they're a little too young to understand how that is even remotely possible."

"And they won't have to." Mabel declared. "Because we're going to tell them that Dipper is their Father!"

Dipper's eyes widen as he seemed to understand what was being said. "I have kids?" He asked, his face as white as a ghost.

"We're doomed." Gideon declared the obvious. "Dipper's a mindless fruitcake and Bill could be out there right now plotting our demise!"

"The fact that he hasn't done anything yet means we still have time." Mabel reasoned as she pulled out her phone. "Once we jog Dipper's memories he should get his powers back right?" She asked Ivan.

Ivan nodded. "Theoretically."

Mabel nodded; her face now full of determination. "Then we got to hurry. But first we need all hands on deck just in case things go south." She dialed a number then and waited.

A man answered. "Hello?"

"Tim." Mabel said plainly.

"It's happening isn't it?" Timmy asked on the other end.

Mabel nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see. "It's time to come home Tim."

Tim nodded as well. "I'm on my way."

Dipper suddenly shivered as he felt the strangest feeling that he was being watched.

Bill smiled as he watched the events unfold before him from the safety of the mindscape. His enemies were just as clueless as ever, but they still had one small hope. If Dipper regained his memories it could very well be all he needs to regain his demonic form.

He would just have to hope that his little Comet was faster.

* * *

 _ **-To Be Continued**_


End file.
